It takes me back to the 1980s, when we were teenagers and used to queue outside the Four Seasons pizzeria, which made the best peynirli with pastourma. Apparently, we didn’t really care if we smelled of pastourma afterwards, since we were all eating it!
Years later, I learned how to make it myself because I absolutely love it. Traditionally, the dough for Turkish peynirli is made with butter and milk, and the filling is cheese-based. I use pizza dough because that’s how I first learned to eat it. And as for the filling, well… we certainly don’t need an excuse to add pastourma!
Peynirli with Pastourma
Traditionally, the dough for Turkish peynirli is made with butter and milk, and the filling is cheese-based. I use pizza dough because that’ s how I first learned to eat it. And as for the filling, well… we certainly don’t need an excuse to add pastourma!
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 grams strong bread flour
- 1½ tsp dry yeast
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1½ cups water
For the filling
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese
- 6 Tbsp cream cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 60 grams melted butter
- 1 –2 pieces of Cypriot pastourma
- 1 egg
Instructions
Make the dough
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer,add the flour, yeast and sugar. Mix well and add the salt. Do this so that the yeast does not come into direct contact with the salt, as this can prevent the dough from rising.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the water and olive oil. Knead well until we have a soft dough.
- Generously grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough inside and turn it around the bowl so that it is coated all over with the olive oil. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and leave it to rise for 2 hours.
Prepare the filling
- Remove the casing from the pastourma and tear it with our hands into small pieces, placing them in a bowl.
- Mix the cream cheese with 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Mix the remaining parsley with the mozzarella.
- Divide all the ingredients into 4 portions.
Assemble the peynirli
- Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F), fan-assisted.
- Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece out into an oval, approximately 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inches).
- Spread ¼ of the cream cheese down the centre. Using a pastry brush, we brush a little of the melted butter all around the edges.
- Sprinkle with pieces of pastourma and top with ¼ of the mozzarella. Don’t want too much filling.
- Create little boat shapes by folding the long sides of the oval over the filling, almost covering it (they will open up slightly during baking). Twist the ends to seal them well.
- Brush the dough with beaten egg.
- Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough.
- Transfer the peynirli to a baking tray and bake for 15–20 minutes.
- Leave them to rest for 10 minutes and then absolutely devour them—without mercy!
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