Name: Turkish Pogaca Recipe
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 40
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 4 cups (480 grams) flour; 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast; 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup warm milk; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1 cup lukewarm water or mineral water, at room temperature; 1/2 stick (50 grams) butter, softened; Half bunch of parsley; 1 and 1/2 cup feta cheese (you can use a mixture of your favorite cheeses); 1 egg yolk; Poppy seeds or nigella seeds

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Looking for a savory snack that you can give your kids after school? Try this cotton soft homemade Turkish pogaca recipe! Stuff these with cheese, olives or potatoes. All family members will be hooked with the smell when these are in oven.

We have several savory pastries in Turkish cuisine. We love them with our afternoon tea or as a snack after school/work. If you love them too, check out our simit recipe and gozleme too.

Turkish breakfast rolls pogaca recipe with cheese filling

What is Turkish Pogaca?

Pogaca is a traditional savory pastry in Turkey and it is as popular as borek. You can find pogaca with different fillings such as feta cheese, kasar cheese, potatoes or olives. It is even possible to find it with no filling. Every home cook has their own style of pogaca recipe. They might be big or small in size in pastry shops, but I prefer making them small as they look cuter this way.

All pastry shops or bakeries here have these as their main products. People stop by these shops on the way to their work early in the morning because pogaca and simit are the best breakfast when you are in a hurry.

Students can find these even at school canteens, so if they can’t have breakfast at home, they have simit or pogaca with a cup of tea as a quick breakfast right before the class.

If you are at home, preparing a big Turkish style breakfast, pair this fluffy mini buns with some more Turkish foods like acuka spread and preserved green olives.

Expert Tips

The very first thing to know when making these super soft buns is that everything should be at room temperature. If the ingredients are cold, your buns won't get as soft as desired.

Also, we need two ingredients so that the buns can keep soft for up to a week: Yeast and mineral water. These two really help the fluffiness. On the other hand, don't worry if you can't find mineral water. Use still water instead.

Finally, you don't need a machine for this recipe. You can make it using your hands. It requires just a little bit kneading until the dough holds together.

Turkish pogaca rolls on a white board with coffee

How to make

Mix sugar and yeast with milk. Combine all the dough ingredients including this milk mixture and mix them well. You can add a little extra flour or mineral water if either of them is not enough. You should have a pliable and non-sticky dough. Cover it with a moist cloth and let it rest for 45 min. Meanwhile you can prepare the filling. Chop parsley and combine it with feta cheese.

Take a small piece from the dough and flatten it with your hands. You can do this on the counter. Put a teaspoon of crumbled feta cheese mixture on it and close it up folding the edges upwards like a bundle. Do the same for the rest of the dough. Place a parchment paper in a baking tray and place the pogacas on it. The folded side of pogacas should be at the bottom so that they keep their shape when baking.

Beat one egg yolk well and coat all the top of the pogacas with it using a brush. Sprinkle poppy seeds, sesame seeds or nigella seeds on each pogaca. Bake them about 30 minutes or until they get golden.

They smell so tempting when they are still warm that I can't wait until they are cool and always throw a few of them into my mouth. Oh my! That softness!

Other Turkish Pastries

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📖 Recipe

Turkish Pogaca Recipe

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5 from 11 reviews

Turkish style super soft mini buns stuffed with cheese.

Author: Zerrin & Yusuf
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 40 1x
Category: Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

Scale

For its dough:

4 cups (480 grams) flour
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup warm milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup lukewarm water or mineral water, at room temperature
½ stick (50 grams) butter, softened

For its filling:

Half bunch of parsley
1 and ½ cup feta cheese (you can use a mixture of your favorite cheeses)

For coating their top:

1 egg yolk
Poppy seeds or nigella seeds

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Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
2. Add in the milk, oil, water, and butter. Mix well either by hand or using a stand mixer until everything is combined.
3. Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until smooth.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, followed by a kitchen towel.
6. Allow the dough to rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Filling:
1. Finely chop the parsley.
2. Mix the chopped parsley with the cheese. Set aside.
Shaping and Filling:
1. After the dough has risen, uncover it and punch it down to release any air bubbles.
2. Knead the dough either on a clean surface or within the bowl for an additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Take a small piece of the dough and flatten it either with your hands or on the counter.
4. Place a tablespoon of the cheese and parsley mixture onto the center of the flattened dough.
5. Fold the edges of the dough upwards, enclosing the filling, and form into a ball shape. Ensure the folded edges are on the bottom.
6. Place the filled dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring there is an inch of space between each.
7. Once all are shaped, cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for a second rise, which should take about 20-30 minutes.
Baking:
1. Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Beat the egg yolk thoroughly.
3. Using a brush, coat the top of each pogaca with the beaten egg yolk.
4. Sprinkle nigella seeds over the top of each pogaca.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes or until they turn golden in color.
Post-Baking:
1. After baking, remove the pogacas from the oven.
2. Cover them with a damp kitchen towel and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

Notes

Yeast: Always ensure your yeast is fresh for optimal rising. Expired or old yeast can result in a dense dough. If using active dry yeast, consider proofing it first by dissolving it in warm (not hot) water with a pinch of sugar. It should become frothy in about 5-10 minutes.
Dough Consistency: Aim for a soft and slightly sticky dough. If the dough is too dry, it won't rise well and will produce a dense pogaca. If it's too wet, add flour a little at a time.
Rising Environment: Place your dough in a warm, draft-free place for rising. This could be in an off oven with the light on or near a warm spot in the kitchen. The ideal temperature for yeast to work is around 27°C (80°F). Ensure that the dough is covered to prevent a skin from forming on its surface.
Filling: Don't over-stuff. While it's tempting to add a lot of filling, too much can cause the dough to tear or not seal properly, leading to leaks during baking.
Shaping: Ensure that the sealed part is at the bottom to maintain the rounded shape of the pogaca.
Egg Wash: The egg yolk gives the pogaca a shiny, golden finish. For a richer color, you can add a teaspoon of milk to the egg yolk.
Baking: Monitor the pogacas toward the end of baking to ensure they don't overbrown.
Storage: If not consuming immediately, store the pogacas in an airtight container to maintain their softness.
Serving: Pogacas are best enjoyed warm. If you've stored them, consider reheating them slightly before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 86
Sugar: 0.7 g
Sodium: 127.9 mg
Fat: 3.9 g
Carbohydrates: 10.3 g
Protein: 2.4 g
Cholesterol: 13.8 mg