Mayasız Dereotlu Poğaça
Mayasız Dereotlu Poğaça·(mah-yah-SUHZ deh-reh-oht-loo poh-AH-cha)
Çay Saati (Afternoon Gatherings & Golden Hour Carbs)
If you grew up in a Turkish household, this is the buttery, herbal aroma that hits you when you walk through the door on a Sunday afternoon. These yeast-free savory pastries, packed with fresh dill and a salty feta center, are a grandmother’s ultimate shortcut. Relying on baking powder and a crucial splash of vinegar to inhibit gluten, they deliver a signature crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture in under an hour, proving that real homeland flavor doesn't have to wait for the weekend.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter1/2 cup
- neutral oil1/2 cup
- plain full-fat yogurt1/2 cup
- large eggs2 large
- apple cider or white vinegar1 tbsp
- granulated sugar1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- ground mahlep1 tsp
- fresh dill3/4 cup
- baking powder1 tbsp
- all-purpose flour3 1/2 cup
- sheep's milk feta cheese1 cup
- nigella or sesame seeds1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the wet dough base.
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the softened butter, neutral oil, yogurt, the one whole egg plus one egg white, vinegar, sugar, salt, and mahlep until the mixture forms a smooth, creamy emulsion, then fold in the chopped fresh dill.
- 02
Mix the dough to an earlobe consistency.
Sprinkle the baking powder over the wet mixture, then begin adding the flour one cup at a time, mixing with a spatula until it becomes too thick to stir. Switch to your hands and knead gently just until the dough comes together; you are looking for kulak memesi kıvamı—a dough as soft and pliable as an earlobe. Stop kneading immediately once it feels smooth and non-sticky to ensure a crumbly texture.
- 03
Shape and stuff the pastries.
Pinch off tangerine-sized pieces of dough, roll them smooth in your palms, and press them flat against your hand to about 1/4-inch thick. Place a generous teaspoon of the dry crumbled feta in the center, fold the dough over into a half-moon shape, and press the edges firmly to seal the cheese inside.
- 04
Apply the golden wash and bake.
Beat the reserved egg yolk with a splash of water and generously paint the top and sides of each pastry to achieve a professional bakery shine, then sprinkle with nigella or sesame seeds. Bake on the middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes, until deeply golden brown and slightly cracked.
- 05
Let the pastries rest before serving.
Resist the urge to eat them immediately; let the baked pastries cool on the sheet for 10 minutes. This resting period allows the butter to set back up, finalizing that signature kıyır kıyır, melt-in-the-mouth texture before serving with a hot glass of black tea.
Notes
The vinegar trick.
Adding vinegar to pastry dough might seem strange, but it is the chemical agent that inhibits gluten formation, guaranteeing a tender, shortbread-like crumb without leaving any sour taste behind.
Managing the cheese filling.
American dairy often holds too much water, which causes stuffed pastries to blow out in the oven. Ensuring your feta is patted very dry—or mashing it with a tablespoon of dry ricotta if it's too crumbly—keeps the filling intact.
Sourcing mahlep.
While the pastries will still work without it, tracking down ground mahlep (made from cherry pits) at a Middle Eastern market is the key to recreating the exact aromatic, nostalgic scent of an Istanbul bakery.
From Cook Turkish in America.