Perhaps not everyone knows that my second passion, after cooking, is traveling! Every year, as soon as possible, my husband and I pack our bags and escape to new destinations waiting to be discovered! I am rather fascinated by exotic places that are a bit distant from us, not only geographically, but also culturally! Greece has always been one of the most coveted destinations, but while browsing some travel catalogs, I discovered Turkey! Of course, I already knew it, but I’ve never visited it, yet it seems to call charmingly for the modernity of its metropolitan settings, the natural beauty of its bays and regions, its fragrances, and archaeological sites. Even from a culinary point of view, hearing some friends’ tales, I believe I would be enchanted! Their dishes, a mix of flavors tightly linked to local history and tradition, are an attraction worth tasting and then experimenting with in the kitchen. Kind of like I’ve always done after every trip. Unfortunately, for now, I can only dream because, in my husband’s eyes, Turkey does not exactly have the same allure! So, what to do? Bring a bit of that magic to the October Rubric Il Granaio basket by preparing one of their most famous and typical bread varieties, the bazlama. This thick and soft bread is typical of Anatolia, the most western region of the Nation. Although it’s a leavened bread, it requires only three hours of rising, making it much quicker than classic bread, thus very practical to prepare in the afternoon and have it warm and ready for dinner! It can be associated with Greek pita or many other versions of skillet bread, like the Indian naan which is actually made with yogurt and no yeast. In this case as well, the cooking does not require an oven, a good news in terms of time and money saving. In its original recipe, you’ll find wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast. But since there are now various versions of bazlama, I propose it with the addition of potatoes in the dough. Need I say more? A unique delight. You can serve it at the table plain or seasoned with a dressing based on oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley. Literally finger-licking good! It will be perfect accompanied by grilled meats, grilled vegetables, soups, and other typical Middle Eastern dishes like my famous hummus. Try it because you will fall in love with it!

If you like other quick ideas for focaccias and quick breads, here are some more ideas below:

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Economical
Rest time: 3 Hours
Preparation time: 35 Minutes
Cooking time: 3 Minutes
Portions: 4-6 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Seasonality: All seasons

Ingredients

⚠️ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!

7 oz potatoes (about 2)
2 cups all-purpose flour (+ as needed for kneading surface)
4.5 oz milk
1 tsp active dry yeast (or 10 g of fresh yeast)
1 tsp herbs (basil, marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, mint, and rosemary)
as needed extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1.4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch chopped parsley
as needed garlic powder
1 pinch salt
as needed white pepper

Tools

1 Small pot
1 Fork
1 Potato masher
1 Bowl
1 Teaspoon

Steps

Preparing bazlama is really easy. First, wash the potatoes thoroughly under running water, then boil them in unsalted water for 25′ from the boil. The prongs of a fork should be able to penetrate easily.
Once cooked, pass them through the potato masher while still hot until reduced to puree.
Meanwhile, warm the milk for 1′, then dissolve the yeast in 1 fl oz taken from the total.
Once the yeast is well dissolved, pour it into the potato puree, then also add the remaining milk and mix with a spatula.
Then add the previously sifted flour.
Finally, add the herb mix and a pinch of salt.
Work the ingredients initially with a spoon.
When the dough starts to become more consistent, begin to work it directly with your hands in the bowl.
Then transfer it to a work surface floured only as necessary.
Knead it for a few minutes vigorously.
You should get a compact and homogeneous dough ball.
Place the dough ball in a well-oiled bowl and cover with a dry and clean cloth. Let it rise for 3 hours or until doubled in volume in a warm place away from drafts.
After this time, transfer the risen dough back to the floured work surface and divide it into four parts using a dough scraper*.
Roll out each dough ball with a well-floured rolling pin, but not too thinly, trying to get ovals.
Cook the Turkish bread in a preheated non-stick skillet for about 2′, on a low flame, brushing the surface with a drop of oil and covering with a lid.
At the first sign of bubbles, lift the lid and flip it for another minute**.
Continue like this with the rest of the dough balls.
Consume the bazlama simply as it is, plain, or brush them on the surface with the dressing prepared with oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley before serving.
And voilà…your Turkish skillet bread is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!

Storage

👉You can enjoy the bazlama even a few hours later by keeping it inside a paper bread bag tightly closed, then reheating it as needed, but this recipe is at its best when freshly made.

Bazlama can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days, in an airtight container without topping, please! It can also be frozen for up to about 2 months.

Tips

🔵* If desired, you could divide the dough into 6 smaller rolls to obtain slightly smaller buns.

** Cooking is fairly quick, a few minutes on each side; it then depends on the texture you prefer. If you like a crunchier bread, prolong it slightly.

THE COLUMN

Il Granaio–Baking time, is the column that every first and third Thursday of the month proposes a basket full of incredible and irresistible ideas, many recipes you can visit by checking the official pages of Facebook, Instagram and also Pinterest

If you are a cooking enthusiast like us, we invite you to put on your apron and replicate our recipes! If you do, please don’t hesitate to write to us for advice and suggestions and let us know if you liked them!