Description
Gozleme is a traditional Turkish savory flatbread stuffed with a variety of fillings such as spinach and feta, or spiced lamb or beef mince. This recipe guides you through making the soft, pliable dough and preparing flavorful fillings before pan-frying the filled flatbreads to a golden, crispy perfection. Ideal for a satisfying snack or meal served warm with optional lemon wedges.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2.5 cups (375g) plain/all purpose flour (gluten free option noted)
- 1/3 cup (85ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup (185ml) water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Spinach & Feta Filling
- 300g / 10oz baby spinach
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 300g / 10oz Danish soft feta
- 2 cups (200g) shredded mozzarella cheese (optional, for sprinkling)
Lamb or Beef Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g / 1 lb beef or lamb mince (ground)
- 1 capsicum / bell pepper, chopped
- 90g / 3 oz baby spinach
- 1.5 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp water
- 120g / 4 oz Danish feta, crumbled
For Cooking and Serving
- 1 – 1.5 tbsp olive oil per gozleme for frying
- Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Make the Dough: Fit a stand mixer with a dough hook. Combine flour, olive oil, salt, and water in the bowl. Mix on medium-high speed (speed 7) for about 2.5 minutes until the dough forms a smooth, pliable ball that is not sticky.
- Rest the Dough: Cover the dough with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes to relax the gluten and make it easier to roll out.
- Prepare Work Surface: Sprinkle flour on your work surface. Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll each piece into a rectangle approximately 35cm x 20cm (14″ x 8″) in size.
- Make Filling Choice: Decide to prepare either the lamb/beef filling or spinach & feta filling. You may also do half portions of both to offer variety.
- Cook Lamb or Beef Filling: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook minced garlic and onion for 1 minute until fragrant. Add chopped capsicum and cook for 2 more minutes. Add beef or lamb mince and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Stir in cumin, paprika, cayenne (optional), salt, pepper, and water. Cook for 2 additional minutes. Add baby spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.
- Prepare Spinach & Feta Filling: In a bowl, mix baby spinach, minced garlic, eggs, and black pepper. Use your hands to scrunch and squeeze the mixture to reduce volume and soften the spinach. Stir in Danish feta until well combined.
- Assemble Gozleme: Spread your chosen filling over half of each rolled dough, pushing the filling close to the edges. For lamb/beef filling, sprinkle crumbled feta on top. For spinach & feta, optionally sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Seal the Gozleme: Fold the other half of the dough over the filling. Press down edges firmly to seal, pushing out any air pockets. Use a little water if needed to ensure a good seal.
- Prepare for Cooking: Sprinkle flour on a round pizza paddle or similar flat surface. Transfer the sealed gozleme onto the paddle for easy sliding into the skillet.
- Cook Gozleme: Heat 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. If available, heat two skillets at once to cook multiple gozleme simultaneously. Slide a gozleme into the hot skillet. Press down lightly on the gozleme, including the edges, to ensure even contact and crisping. Cook for about 3 minutes until deeply golden and crispy, then carefully flip and cook the other side the same way until crispy and cooked through.
- Serve: Transfer the cooked gozleme to a cutting board. Cut each gozleme into 6 or 8 pieces. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side, if desired, for a fresh citrus kick.
Notes
- The dough can be made with gluten-free flour as specified in Note 4 for a gluten-free version.
- Danish feta is a softer, creamier style of feta which works well for the fillings.
- Adding shredded mozzarella cheese to spinach & feta filling adds a nice melty texture but is optional.
- Pressing the edges firmly seals the gozleme and prevents the filling from leaking during cooking.
- Adjust cayenne pepper quantity to customize the spiciness level to your preference.
- Using two skillets lets you make multiple gozleme at once and speeds up cooking.
- Gozleme is best eaten fresh and hot off the skillet for optimal texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Turkish
Keywords: Gozleme, Turkish flatbread, savory pastry, spinach and feta, lamb mince, beef mince, stuffed flatbread, skillet recipe
