Gözleme

Gözleme is a savoury Turkish stuffed turnover. The dough is usually unleavened, and made with flour, salt and water, but gözleme can be made from yeast dough as well. Fillings for gözleme are numerous and vary by region and personal preference, and include a variety of meats (minced beef, chopped lamb, fresh or smoked seafood, sujuk (dry, spicy and fermented sausage), pastirma (pastrami)), vegetables (spinach, zucchini, aubergine, leek, chard, various peppers, onion, spring onions, shallots, garlic), mushrooms (porcini, chanterelle, truffle), tubers (potatoes, yams, radish), cheeses (feta, Turkish white cheese, lavash, Beyaz peynir, çökelek, Kasseri, and Kashkaval) (similar to feta), as well as eggs, seasonal herbs, and spices. Here we simply have a feta, mozzarella and baby spinach version.

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Cuisine: Asia, Turkish

Courses: Bread & Dough

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Gözleme Pastry

315 g plain flour
85 ml extra virgin olive oil
190 ml water
½ tsp salt

Spiced Lamb or Beef

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion (finely chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
500 g beef or lamb (minced)
1 pepper (chopped)
90 g spinach (baby leaf)
1½ tsp cumin (powder)
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp pepper
1 tbsp water
120 g feta
1 Lemon (wedges)

Spinach and Feta

300 g spinach (baby leaf)
2 garlic cloves
2 eggs
1 tsp black pepper
300 g feta
235 g mozzarella

Instructions

1
Using the dough hook on a stand mixer, or your hands combine the flour, the oil, salt and water in the bowl. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed.
2
Cover and rest for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and cut the dough into 4. Roll each out into a 35 cm x 20 cm rectangle. Make either the meat filling, or spinach and feta (or 50:50).
Resting relaxes the dough and makes thin rolling easier. If it keeps springing back, cover it and give it another few minutes rather than forcing it thinner.
3
Meat: Heat the oil in a large skillet over a high heat. Cook the garlic and onion for 1 minute then add the chopped pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
4
Add the beef or lamb until cooked, breaking it up as you go. Add the cumin, the paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper and water. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the spinach, stir until wilted. Cool before using.
Cook the mince thoroughly and let the filling cool before enclosing it. A hot or very wet filling softens the dough and makes the gözleme harder to seal and transfer.
5
Spinach and Feta: Place the spinach, garlic, egg and pepper in a bowl. Scrunch with your hands to reduce the volume and make the spinach soft and malleable. Add feta and thoroughly stir through.
This filling contains raw egg, so wash hands after mixing and cook the assembled gözleme until the filling is thoroughly hot and the egg has set.
6
Making gözleme: Spread the filling on half the pastry, pushing to the edge. Sprinkle the meat filling with crumbled feta. Sprinkle the spinach and feta filling with mozzarella cheese.
7
Fold the other side of the pastry over to completely cover the filling and press down the edges, removing any excess air pockets trapped inside as you go. Use water if require to ensure a good seal.
8
Sprinkle flour on a round pizza paddle or similar vessel and slide the gözleme onto the paddle.
9
Heat 1.5 tbsp oil in a large skillet over a medium high heat and slide the gözleme into the skillet. Cook whilst lightly pressing down including the edges, until deep golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Turn the gözleme over repeat the process.
10
Transfer to a chopping board and cut into 6 or 8 pieces. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 1222.70kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 71.57g111%
Saturated Fat 18.55g93%
Cholesterol 155.34mg52%
Sodium 2327.40mg97%
Potassium 1492.88mg43%
Total Carbohydrate 71.92g24%
Dietary Fiber 4.88g20%
Sugars 4.19g
Protein 69.80g140%

Vitamin C 65.84 mg
Calcium 977.49 mg
Iron 7.29 mg
Vitamin D 0.96 IU

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