Baked Spelt Turkish Pide with Spinach and Feta Filling

Spelt Turkish pide with spinach and feta is a boat-shaped flatbread with a soft, nutty spelt base and a salty filling. It bakes at 230 C / 450 F for 12 minutes. The rims turn crisp and the center stays tender.

Spelt dough is softer than wheat dough. Knead it for 8 minutes, then let it rise for 60 minutes. The crumb stays light, not heavy, and the dough stays easy to shape.

The filling is wilted spinach, onion, garlic and crumbled feta. Squeeze the spinach until no liquid drips. Wet spinach is the one thing that ruins this bake, because it leaves the base pale and damp.

You can chill the dough overnight and bake when needed. The steps stay clear, and the filling uses simple ingredients.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Dough can rest in the fridge overnight
Spelt keeps the crumb soft and slightly nutty
Filling uses spinach, onion and pantry feta
Four pides bake in 12 minutes on two sheet pans

Hands pinching the ends of a rolled spelt dough oval filled with wilted spinach and crumbled feta

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: Weigh it for accuracy. If you swap in whole-grain spelt, add 1 to 2 tbsp more water because it absorbs more.
feta: Use a block in brine and pat it dry before crumbling. Ricotta mixed with a little grated Parmesan gives a milder filling.
baby spinach: Fresh wilts down to about a third of its weight. You can use 300 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.
instant yeast: Mix it straight into the flour. If you only have active dry yeast, use 9 g and stir it into the warm water for 5 minutes first.
nigella seeds: They add a mild peppery note on the rims. Sesame seeds work as a direct swap.

Two friends tearing warm pide strips beside a cucumber salad and garlic yogurt on a linen-covered table

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 12 mins

Rest Time 60 mins

Total Time 1 hr 37 mins

Cooking Method: Oven

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 230 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 2.30

Calories: 613

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains dairy and eggs, Contains gluten (spelt), Nut-free, Vegetarian

Description

Yeasted spelt dough is rolled into ovals, filled with squeezed-dry spinach, onion and feta, then baked hot so the rims crisp and the center stays soft.

Ingredients

Dough

350 g white spelt flour
7 g instant yeast ((1 sachet))
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp granulated sugar
220 ml warm water (about 38 C / 100 F)
1 tbsp olive oil

Filling

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (small (100 g); finely chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
400 g baby spinach
200 g feta (patted dry, crumbled)
1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp chili flakes (optional)

To finish

1 egg (beaten with 1 tbsp water)
2 tsp nigella or sesame seeds
15 g butter (melted)

Instructions

1
Whisk the spelt flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a 3-quart / 2.8 L mixing bowl. Add the warm water and 1 tbsp olive oil, then stir until no dry flour remains.
2
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Spelt dough stays softer than wheat dough, so add no more than 1 tbsp extra flour. Return it to the bowl, cover, and rest for 60 minutes in a warm spot, until puffed by about half.
3
While the dough rests, warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a 30 cm / 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the spinach in three handfuls, stirring until each wilts, about 4 minutes in all. Tip it into a sieve and cool for 10 minutes. Squeeze it by handfuls until no liquid drips, then mix with the feta, nutmeg, pepper and chili flakes.
4
During the last 20 minutes of the rise, heat the oven to 230 C / 450 F and line two 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch sheet pans with parchment. Divide the risen dough into four 150 g pieces. Roll each into an oval about 28 x 15 cm and 4 mm thick. Spoon the filling down the center, leaving a 3 cm border. Roll the long edges inward twice, then pinch and twist the tips into a boat shape. Place two on each pan, brush the rims with egg wash, and sprinkle with the seeds.
5
Bake for 12 minutes, swapping the pans top to bottom after 6 minutes, until the rims are deep golden and the base feels firm. Brush the rims with the melted butter and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 613kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 11g56%
Cholesterol 75mg25%
Sodium 1200mg50%
Potassium 975mg28%
Total Carbohydrate 69g23%
Dietary Fiber 6g24%
Sugars 3g
Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 9700 IU
Vitamin C 15 mg
Calcium 360 mg
Iron 5 mg
Vitamin D 5 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg
Vitamin K 480 mcg
Thiamin 0.4 mg
Riboflavin 0.7 mg
Niacin 6 mg
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg
Folate 220 mcg
Vitamin B12 1 mcg
Phosphorus 390 mg
Magnesium 112 mg
Zinc 3.2 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Knead for 8 minutes only, because spelt gluten tires faster than wheat gluten.
Cool and squeeze the spinach before it touches the dough.
Serve within 30 minutes of baking for the crispest rims.
Make the dough a day ahead and chill it in an oiled, covered bowl.
Keep a 3 cm border of dough clear of filling when shaping.

Keywords: spelt pide, spelt turkish pide, spinach and feta pide, spelt flatbread, turkish pide recipe

Equipment

3-quart / 2.8 L mixing bowl
30 cm / 12-inch skillet
two sheet pans, 33 x 46 cm / 13 x 18 inch
rolling pin
pastry brush
kitchen scale

Tips

Squeeze the cooked spinach by handfuls until no liquid drips, since wet filling is the main cause of a pale, damp base.
Weigh the flour at 350 g rather than using cups, because spelt packs differently and a heavy hand makes the dough stiff.
Roll the dough edges inward twice and pinch the tips firmly so the boat holds its shape and the filling stays inside.
Swap the two sheet pans top to bottom after 6 minutes so both pairs of pides brown evenly in a home oven.
Brush the rims with melted butter straight out of the oven, while the crust is hot enough to absorb it.

Variations

Make a well in the filling after 8 minutes of baking, crack in an egg, then bake 4 to 5 minutes until the white sets.
Swap the feta for 150 g ricotta and 50 g grated Parmesan for a milder, creamier filling with less salt.
Replace 100 g of the white spelt flour with whole-grain spelt, and add 1 to 2 tbsp water for a nuttier, denser crust.

Storage and Reheating

Baked spelt pide keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Cool it completely first, so trapped steam does not soften the base.

Reheat pide on a sheet pan at 180 C / 350 F for 8 minutes, until the rims crisp and the center is hot. The base stays soft and the filling stays moist.

Baked pide freezes for up to 2 months when wrapped individually. Reheat from frozen at 180 C / 350 F for 15 minutes. You can also make the dough ahead. After kneading, chill it in an oiled, covered bowl for up to 24 hours in place of the 60-minute rise, then leave it at room temperature for 45 minutes before shaping. The cooked filling keeps in the fridge for 2 days.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt pide with spinach and feta is best served warm, within 30 minutes of baking. Slice each boat crosswise into 4 or 5 strips. The rims stay crisp and the center stays soft, so it works as a hand-held lunch.

Add a cucumber and tomato salad dressed with lemon and olive oil. The fresh crunch balances the salty feta. A bowl of garlic yogurt gives you a cool dip for the rims.

For a gathering, halve each pide and set the pieces on a board. All four bake together, so the table fills quickly and the work stays low-pressure.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/baked-spelt-turkish-pide-spinach-feta/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!