Turkish Gozleme Recipe (Vegetarian, Vegan, & Gluten-free Variations) with Instant Carrot Pickle

traditional-Turkish-Gozleme-original-Turkish-Gozleme-recipe

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Resting Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

For Turkish Gozleme Dough

473 grams (3 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour (if you are allergic to gluten, use 3 cups of oat flour or any of your favorite gluten-free flour and add ⅓ cup of tapioca flour for binding the dough well)
1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil (a little more for brushing)

For Filling

4 cups baby spinach leaves (roughly chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
Sea Salt (or go for any other healthy no-sodium salt)
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or even bell peppers as per availability)
1 cup drained and crumbled feta (if you are allergic to dairy products, go for tofu or any other plant-based block cheese like lentil tofu or chickpea tofu)

Cooking Instructions

How to make Turkish Gozleme Dough Recipe

Use a sieve to sift the flour in a large bowl. Now, add the salt and mix it well with clean hands or a spatula.
Now, make a well in the middle and add the lukewarm water and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Begin incorporating the flour into the water and oil with your hands until you make a rough dough. It might look for a moment like the dough will never come together, but keep working until you make a shaggy-type dough.
Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.
Now, dust your countertop with flour. Transfer the dough out onto the floured surface and start kneading with your hands, for about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s a smooth, semi-firm dough ball.
Place the dough in a bowl, coat the top with a drizzle of olive oil and cover with a clean, damp towel (best in a warmer region).
Set aside to rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the gluten to develop, making the dough much easier to work with.

How to Make Turkish Gozleme filling

Place the chopped spinach and onions in a large mixing bowl. Pour in the olive oil and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper (do not add feta/cottage cheese/tofu here). Now, stir in the Aleppo pepper.
Massage the filling with clean hands. Go hands-on and combine everything well. This will help soften the onions and spinach and infuse them with seasoning’s flavors well.
Add the crumbled feta (cottage cheese/tofu) now and combine again. Check the seasoning and adjust to your taste. Cover and set aside.

How to Make Turkish Gozleme at Home

Now, the dough has rested well. Place it on a clean, dry surface with a sprinkle of flour. Use a large chef’s knife (bench scraper) to divide it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each dough into a ball and place them back on the bowl. Keep them covered with a damp towel to keep them moist until rolled and filled.
Take one dough ball out at a time and place on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll into a very thin circle (about 10 ½ inch diameter circle). A thinly-rolled dough is paramount for the Gozleme to cook correctly in the skillet.
Now, spread about a ½ cup of the filling evenly over one half of the circle, leaving a 0.8-inch gap around the edges.
To seal the Gozleme, fold the empty side over the filling to make a half-moon shape. Gently pat the top to push out any air and then push down with your thumbs around the edges to form a good seal (sealing by dabbing your fingertips with a little water acts as the best lock).
Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Place the finished gözleme on a sheet tray. Cover with a clean towel so they don’t dry out.
To cook the Turkish Gozleme, heat a large and wide (about 10-inches diameter) non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place one of the Gozleme in the dry pan and cook for 1 minute. Then carefully flip over and cook the other side for 1 minute. Flip again and cook for about 45 to 50 seconds (the light brown spots will start to appear). Flip over again and cook for another 45 seconds. By then, the Gozleme should be cooked with visible light brown patches everywhere around.
Place the cooked Gozleme on a clean tray and brush both sides with olive oil. Cook the remaining Gozleme (do not cover them after cooking, as suggested by most of the chefs. Covering them after cooking makes them moist and lose crispness)
Serve warm with homemade carrot pickle.

Nutrition Facts Turkish Gozleme

Calories: 430.1 kcal
Carbohydrates: 55.8 g
Fiber: 2.3 g
Sugar: 1 g
Protein: 11 g
Fat: 17.8 g
Saturated Fat: 5.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 9.7 g
Cholesterol: 22.3 mg
Sodium: 680.2 mg
Potassium: 123.7 mg
Vitamin A: 219.2 IU
Vitamin C: 1.5 mg
Calcium: 140.6 mg
Iron: 3.5 mg

Quick Pickled Carrots Recipe (without oil version included)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

7 thin red carrots
4 tablespoon olive oil (to make the recipe oil-free, use an equal amount of your favorite mother vinegar. Also, use non-stick pan in the recipe)
Pinch turmeric
¼ teaspoon dried red chili powder (you may ground chili flakes to a fine powder in case of non-availability)
1 tablespoon rock salt (sea salt or black salt adds equally great taste)
2 teaspoon white sesame seeds (coarsely grounded)
2 tbsp lemon juice (not to be used if you are going for the oil-free version)

Cooking Instructions

How to make Instant Carrot Pickle at Home

Slice your carrots into thin strips. Remove the central yellow part of the carrot to use in any other recipe like soup or broth. Since this part is hard to cook and lacks sweetness, it is better not to use it in the pickle.
Now add oil in a pan on medium flame. Add in turmeric, dried chili powder, salt, and grounded sesame seeds. Allow the spices to temper in oil only for about a minute. Or Alternatively, use a non-stick pan and add the carrots directly to the pan and add all these spices on the carrots to let them release moisture to help in the cooking process.
Now, add in the carrots and let them cook at medium flame for 10 mins.
Turn off the flame and cover them with a lid to cook them in carry-over heat for another 8-10 minutes.
Switch on the gas and reheat them to let any moisture evaporate (this step helps in lengthening the shelf life of the pickle). Stir while reheating; it will take around 3-4 minutes in total. Now, add lemon juice and stir. Let them cool down to room temperature by keeping the pan lid-free. (Transfer to an airtight glass jar to store in the fridge for a fortnight. You have to shake the contents of the jar every other day.) Also, if you have chosen the oil-free version, add the vinegar here, do not add the lemon juice then.
Serve as a side with hot Turkish Gozleme!