Turkish Flatbread (Pide)

pide

• Ready In: 2 hrs 36 mins
• Yields: 8 breads

Ingredients

• 4  teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 1⁄2 cups bread flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  cup  lukewarm water, plus
• 1  tablespoon  lukewarm water

Directions

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, and let stand in a warm place 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Stir in the 1/2 cup of flour, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.
3. To finish the dough, put the 3 1/2 cups of flour in a large bowl, and make a well in the center.
4. Put in the yeast-and-sugar mixture, salt, olive oil, and 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water.
5. Gradually work in the flour to make a soft and sticky dough.
6. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 15 minutes.
7. The dough will be very sticky at first, but as you knead, it will gradually cease to stick to your hands.
8. You should have a damp and very springy dough that offers no resistance to kneading.
9. Put the dough in a oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour, until well swollen.
10. (You can refrigerate the dough at this point until you're ready to use it.) Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a log.
11. Cut into 8 equal pieces, and roll each one into a tight ball.
12. Place the balls on a floured surface, and let rest 30 minutes under a towel.
13. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and if you have them, heat tiles 30-40 minutes before baking.
14. Roll one ball of dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin into a circle 1/4- to 1/8-inch thick and 8 inches in diameter.
15. Brush the top with olive oil.
16. Bake 5 or 6 minutes, and repeat the process with the remaining dough balls.
17. As the pide come out of the oven, stack them in a large pan and keep them covered until all are ready to eat.
18. Remember to let the oven temperature return to 450 degrees after baking 2 or 3 pide.
19. Serve the pide hot.
20. They also can be reheated wrapped in foil.