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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.
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.
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
- Lahmacun
- Turkish Pide
- Cheese Borek
- Lavash bread
- Bazlama
- Sigara Borek
You might also like:
- Manti Recipe (Turkish Ravioli)
- Kunefe Turkish Dessert With Cheese
- Piyaz Recipe - Turkish White Bean Salad
- Sutlaç - Turkish Rice Pudding
As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!
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Turkish Pogaca Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 11 reviews
Turkish style super soft mini buns stuffed with cheese.
- Author:
- 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
Instructions
Prepare the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
- Add in the milk, oil, water, and butter. Mix well either by hand or using a stand mixer until everything is combined.
- Knead the mixture for about 5 minutes until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, followed by a kitchen towel.
- Allow the dough to rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Prepare the Filling:
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Mix the chopped parsley with the cheese. Set aside.
Shaping and Filling:
- After the dough has risen, uncover it and punch it down to release any air bubbles.
- Knead the dough either on a clean surface or within the bowl for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Take a small piece of the dough and flatten it either with your hands or on the counter.
- Place a tablespoon of the cheese and parsley mixture onto the center of the flattened dough.
- Fold the edges of the dough upwards, enclosing the filling, and form into a ball shape. Ensure the folded edges are on the bottom.
- Place the filled dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring there is an inch of space between each.
- 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:
- Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Beat the egg yolk thoroughly.
- Using a brush, coat the top of each pogaca with the beaten egg yolk.
- Sprinkle nigella seeds over the top of each pogaca.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes or until they turn golden in color.
Post-Baking:
- After baking, remove the pogacas from the oven.
- 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
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Vivian E says
Hi Zerrin and Yusuf,
I left another review earlier but maybe why mine aren't super soft is I used U.S. measuring cup and should be using Turkish water glass to measure for all the ingredients. I believe I had too much flour. I will try making them again and will let them rise for a little bit before I bake them.Again, my husband said they were 100% EXCELLENT. (I used an extra Tbsp of Salt) as he likes flavor and stuffed with walnuts/olive oil/pepper flakes and added a piece of date to a few.
Reply
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Vivian,
Thank you for the feedback! After seeing your first comment, we checked the recipe again and made some adjustments on it so that it is more clear.
And thank you so much for the update. We gave the exact measurements in grams, so we hope it helps our readers who prefer using a kitchen scale.We are so happy to hear that you husband is happy with the result. And the tweaks you made in the filling sound brilliant! Thanks for sharing them with us.
Cheers!
Reply
Vivian E says
Zerrin and Yusuf
Made another batch with the updated information and notes and they were a SUCCESS!Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Vivian,
Yay! We are so happy to hear that you found the updated recipe and the notes helpful.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us and for the 5-star rating!
Vivian E says
My husband really liked this recipe but I thought they were not very fluffy or soft. Was I supposed to let them rise again after I flattened, filled and closed the bundles? It doesn't indicate in the instructions, just to put on the parchment, heat the oven, brush with egg yolk, and bake.
Reply
Karen says
I make the pogoca's and freeze then before baking. When company pops in, I set them out for a few minutes and then bake. They're perfect for a quick finger food and my company thinks I've spent the day in the kitchen!
Reply
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Karen,
That's a great idea! Freezing the pogaca before baking is a smart move. It's a perfect way to have a quick snack ready for surprise visitors. I'm glad they enjoy it and think you've been cooking all day. Thanks for sharing your tip!Reply
Vivian E says
Hi Karen,
Do you freeze before the 2nd rise or after? I like this idea! When you take out of the freezer, how long do you let them set before baking?Reply
Tracey Lowe says
Hi Zerrin and Yusuf
I'm enquiring to how long I should knead the mixture for?should I do it like I would do for bread abt 10 minutes? Less or more? Thank you for your wonderful recipes
TraceyReply
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Tracey,
Thank you for asking this question. Combine the dough ingredients in a large bowl, make a smooth dough by kneading it for 2-3 minutes and let it rise. After the dough rises, punch it down and knead it for a minute or so. Then you can make the pogacas.
Reply
Huda says
I just want you to know that your poğaça recipe is the BEST! Since I am a big fan of yogurt, I used it in place of the mineral water in the recipe and it turned out great.
Thank you for all of your efforts.
God bless you and your family abundantly 💞Reply
Begum O. says
I have made this a couple of times and it is wonderful. Thank you.
Reply
Yusuf says
Hi Begum, happy to hear that! Thanks for the feedback!
Reply
Ebru says
Hello, I would like to make this recipe dairy free. Which dairy free option would you suggest instead of the 1/4 cup of milk? I am planning on filling with meat instead
Reply
Sil says
Use the mineral water she suggest
Reply
Elena says
Thank you for the recipe! it turned out amazing! It was super fun to make them and they taste delicious 🙂 It offered a moment from my childhood. Many thanks, Elena
Reply
Yusuf says
Glad you like it Elena! Childhood memories always make us happy, right? Thank you for the feedback!
Reply
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