🧀 Baked Cheese Pie (Turkish Cheese Pide)

This Turkish Cheese Pide is a delicious boat-shaped flatbread with a soft, pillowy yeast dough and a generous filling of stretchy melted cheese. Brushed with egg yolk for a beautiful golden finish and sprinkled with sesame seeds, it comes out of the oven crisp around the edges, tender in the center, and wonderfully cheesy.

Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or a satisfying snack, this homemade pide is best served hot while the cheese is still bubbling and stretchy.

Recipe Information

Prep Time: 25 minutes
First Rise: 1 hour
Second Rise: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 12–18 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours
Yield: 3 medium pides
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Intermediate
Method: Oven-baked

Ingredients

For the Dough

500 g (about 4 cups) all-purpose flour
300 ml warm milk
10 g (about 1 tablespoon) dry yeast
18 g (about 1½ tablespoons) granulated sugar
10 g (about 1¾ teaspoons) salt
40 ml (about 2¾ tablespoons) neutral oil

For the Filling

250–300 g grated Kashar cheese or mozzarella

For Finishing

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon oil
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Activate the Yeast

Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl.

Add the dry yeast and sugar and stir gently.

Let the mixture stand for 5–10 minutes, until the yeast becomes slightly foamy.

The milk should be warm rather than hot. Very hot milk can damage the yeast.

2. Make the Dough

Add the flour gradually to the yeast mixture.

Add the salt and oil.

Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a rough dough forms.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes, until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic.

The dough should feel slightly tacky but should not be excessively sticky.

3. First Rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled in size.

The exact rising time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen.

4. Divide the Dough

Once risen, gently press down the dough to release excess air.

Divide it into 3 equal portions.

Shape each portion into a smooth ball.

Cover the dough balls loosely and let them rest for 10–15 minutes.

This makes them easier to stretch and shape.

5. Prepare the Cheese

Grate the Kashar cheese or mozzarella.

For the best texture, use a cheese that melts well but isn’t excessively wet.

If using fresh mozzarella, pat it dry with paper towels before grating or tearing it into pieces.

6. Shape the Pide

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).

For the best crust, place a heavy baking sheet, pizza stone, or baking steel in the oven while it preheats.

Working with one dough ball at a time, place it on a lightly floured surface.

Stretch or roll it into an elongated oval, approximately 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) long.

Keep the center slightly thicker than the edges.

7. Add the Cheese

Transfer the shaped dough to a sheet of parchment paper.

Place approximately one-third of the grated cheese down the center of the oval, leaving about 1 inch (2–3 cm) around the edges.

Do not overload the center, as too much cheese can make the dough difficult to shape and may cause the filling to spill out during baking.

8. Shape the Pide Edges

Fold the long edges of the dough inward slightly over the cheese.

Pinch the pointed ends firmly together so the pide forms its classic boat shape.

Make sure the cheese remains visible in the center.

Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese.

9. Prepare the Egg Wash

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon oil.

Brush this mixture generously over the exposed dough edges.

The egg wash gives the pide a beautiful deep-golden color and a glossy finish.

10. Add the Sesame Seeds

Sprinkle sesame seeds over the brushed edges.

For additional flavor and texture, you can also use a mixture of sesame and nigella seeds.

11. Bake

Carefully transfer the pide, still on its parchment, onto the preheated baking sheet, pizza stone, or steel.

Bake for approximately 12–18 minutes, depending on the size and your oven.

The pide is ready when:

The crust is deeply golden.
The cheese is fully melted and bubbling.
The bottom is cooked and lightly browned.

For more even browning, rotate the pide halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.

12. Finish With Butter or Oil

Remove the pide from the oven.

For a softer, more flavorful crust, brush the hot edges lightly with a little melted butter or oil.

Let it rest for 2–3 minutes before slicing.

13. Serve Hot

Cut the pide into strips or slices and serve immediately while the cheese is hot and stretchy.

Chef’s Tips

Use warm, not hot, milk: Excessive heat can prevent the yeast from working properly.

Knead well: Proper kneading creates the elastic dough needed for a soft, chewy crust.
Don’t add too much flour: A slightly soft dough produces a more tender pide.
Preheat the baking surface: A very hot tray or pizza stone helps the bottom cook quickly and develop a beautiful crust.

Use low-moisture mozzarella: It melts beautifully without releasing too much water.
Don’t overfill: A moderate layer of cheese gives the best balance of bread and filling.
Brush immediately after baking: This helps keep the crust edges soft and flavorful.

Cheese Variations

Kashar & Mozzarella

Combine equal parts Kashar and mozzarella for a flavorful filling with excellent stretch.

Three-Cheese Pide

Use Kashar, mozzarella, and a little feta or Turkish white cheese for extra flavor.

Cheddar & Mozzarella

A convenient alternative that gives plenty of melt and a slightly sharper flavor.

Herb Cheese Pide

Add chopped parsley, oregano, or fresh dill to the cheese before baking.

Optional Additions

For a more substantial pide, add a small amount of:

Sautéed spinach
Sliced mushrooms
Thinly sliced peppers
Cooked sausage
Sucuk
Diced olives
Crumbled feta

Keep additional fillings fairly dry so they don’t make the dough soggy.

Serving Suggestions

Turkish cheese pide is delicious served with:

Fresh tomatoes
Cucumbers
Olives
Turkish tea
Plain yogurt
Garlic yogurt sauce
Pickled vegetables
Fresh parsley
A simple shepherd salad

For breakfast or brunch, serve it alongside boiled eggs and fresh vegetables.

Make-Ahead Instructions

The dough can be prepared a day ahead.

After kneading, cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before dividing and shaping.

This slower fermentation can also give the dough a deeper flavor.

Storage

Pide is best eaten fresh and hot.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5–8 minutes to restore some of the crispness.

Avoid microwaving for too long, as it can make the bread chewy.

Freezing

Allow baked pide to cool completely.

Wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheat directly from frozen in a 180°C (350°F) oven until hot and crisp.

Final Result

A gorgeous Turkish-style cheese pide with a soft, fluffy interior, beautifully golden edges, and a generous layer of bubbling, stretchy melted cheese. Serve it fresh from the oven for the ultimate homemade bakery experience.

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Baked Cheese Pie (Turkish Cheese Pide)