Gozleme! Crispy, golden Turkish flatbreads stuffed with all sorts of tasty fillings. Choose from Spinach Feta, or spiced Beef or Lamb. I want them all! This is a great easy recipe – no yeast required for the flatbread dough, just 3 ingredients, and very easy to roll out (elastic, doesn’t tear). I hope you become as obsessed as I am!
Gozleme recipe
Weekend markets wouldn’t be the same without Turkish Gozleme stands. Sturdy Turkish Mamas with powerful arms rolling out the dough, and pretty young ladies front of house, smiling charmingly at customers.
Total stereotype there. But it’s a very effective marketing strategy!! 😂
If you’re new to Gozleme, all you need to know is this: they are olive oil flavoured flatbreads stuffed with all sorts of fillings. The most popular ones are Spinach and Feta, spiced ground lamb / beef (mince), and potato (carb on carb 👌🏻).
Pan fried until golden and crispy, then cut into grabbable-size pieces with lemon wedges on the side, there’s a reason why Gozleme stands often have the longest lines at weekend markets – because everybody loves them!!!
The Gozleme dough
Gozleme pastry is possible the easiest flatbread in the world because:
it’s traditionally made without yeast;
only requires 4 ingredients: flour, olive oil, salt and water
“dump and mix” job using a stand mixer or food processor
the dough is very easy to work with – easy to roll out (unlike rock hard fridge-cold Quiche pastry!), to pull and stretch into the shape that you want, and patch up accidental tears. 🙂
“If you’re new to making your own flatbreads, this is a great one to start with! The gozleme dough is very forgiving and easy to handle when rolling out.”
I typically make 4 Gozlemes from each batch of dough, though it can easily stretch to 5.
Gozleme Fillings
I’m sharing two fillings today:
Spinach and Feta, and
Lamb or Beef spiced ground meat filling. Though chicken, pork and turkey could be used too.
Just a note: I stuff my Gozleme way more generously than the Turkish Mamas at the Gozleme stands. I figure if we’re going to the effort of making our own, we shouldn’t skimp on fillings!!
Spinach and Feta Filling for Gozleme
The Spinach and Feta filling has nothing ground breaking in it. Egg for binding, garlic for flavour and pepper. (Ignore the salt in the photo, it’s not required!!)
The one little trick I’ve adopted over the years is to scrunch the spinach to wilt it down slightly. It makes it much easier to stuff the flatbread when the spinach is compacted down. Trying to enclose a huge pile of green fluffage with thin pastry is not fun.
Lamb or Beef Gozleme Filling
I told you I like to be generous with my fillings….. so while the traditional minced meat Gozleme usually has just a very thin scattering of meat with little more than a bit of onion, I like to fill mine out with all sorts of extras.
Increase the volume, more texture, add colour and more flavour!
Wrapping & cooking
Don’t be intimidated by this part! It’s really not difficult – and as I said, we’re working with a friendly dough here. The step photos below are fairly self explanatory, but here are a few tips:
Don’t make them too big – just because the Turkish Mamas at the gozleme stand make theirs the size of extra large pizzas, doesn’t mean you should! Large gozleme = difficult to transfer to skillet and flip. Remember, they’ve been doing it for 40 years….
Press out air pockets = no trapped heat ballooning = flatter = crispier
Transfer to skillet – slide onto a pizza paddle or similar, then slide into the skillet. Once cooked, it’s crisp enough to scoop up with a spatula – you’ll see in the recipe video!
Make sure they fit comfortably in the skillet! I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve had half a gozleme hanging out of the pan…. 😂
Don’t skimp on oil – if you want the crispiest, most golden pastry, now is not the time to be counting calories! (Besides, remember that olive oil is better for you!)
Though traditionally served with lemon wedges, hand on heart, I have never used them. (And I’ve had my fair share of Gozleme in my life time!). They are great as they are, hot off the stove.
In my world, these are a summertime BBQ favourite. Terrific to cook these on the flat side of the BBQ – plus there’s more space than a skillet so you can cook multiple gozlemes at the same time.
And the extra bonus (because we all secretly love this part😈) – everyone is always so impressed. It’s just not something that most people think about making at home.
I’ve used the word “crisp” alot in this post. So I’m going to leave you with this image. Crispy crispy juicy stuffed Lamb Stuffed Gozleme.
Or – wait. Was it beef?? There’s been a lot of gozleme around here in recent weeks. So I’m not sure. But it doesn’t matter. BOTH are equally delicious!!~ Nagi x
Gozleme FAQ
Just substitute gluten-free flour for the regular flour. If your dough is a little drier or sticker than what you see in the video, adjust with a sprinkle of water or flour – different gluten-free flour brands use different blends and absorbency can differ.
I do not recommend assembling then cooking later as the filling will sweat which makes the dough wet, so they won’t crisp up as well.
However, you can make the dough up to 3 days ahead, do the 20 minute rest, then leave it in the fridge until required.
Up to 3 days in the fridge. I like to pan fry to reheat, to make the flatbread crispy again! You could also freeze up to 3 months.
Gozleme recipe
Watch how to make it
Note: I forgot to press record when putting water into the dough, oops! Follow written recipe below.
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Gozleme!!
Ingredients
Gozleme pastry:
- 2 1/2 cups flour , plain/all purpose (GF Note 4)
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
Choose ONE Filling (Note 1)
Spinach & Feta:
- 250g / 8 oz baby spinach
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 large eggs (~50g/2oz each, in shell)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 250g / 8 oz Danish feta (the soft feta) or Greek feta (Note 2)
- 2 cups (tightly pakced) shredded mozzarella cheese (Note 3)
Spiced Lamb or Beef:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 400g / 14 oz beef or lamb mince (ground meat)
- 1 small red capsicum / bell pepper , diced
- 90g / 3 oz baby spinach
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (mild spiciness, can leave out)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp water
- 120g / 4 oz Danish feta (soft) or Greek feta (Note 2)
Cooking / Serving:
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil , per gozleme
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Put all dough ingredients in stand mixer and knead 2 1/2 min on speed 7. Rest 20 min, cut into 4, roll out into 35 x 20cm/14" x 8". Top with fillings, fold to seal, pan fry golden on medium high, 3 min each side.
FULL RECIPE
Pastry:
- Make dough – Fit stand mixer with dough hook. Combine flour, oil, salt and water in the stand mixer bowl. Mix for 2 1/2 minutes on medium high speed 7 until smooth (see video for before & after). (Note 4) Dough should be a pliable, smooth ball, not sticky. (Adjust with sprinkle of water if dry, or flour if sticky).Food processor option – Use the standard metal "S" blade, put everything in then blitz 30 sec until a dough ball forms. Or knead by hand ~ 5min.
- Rest 20 min – Cover the bowl with the dough in it and rest for 20 minutes.
- Roll out – Sprinkle work surface with flour. Cut dough into 4 pieces. Roll each out into 35 x 20cm/14" x 8" rectangles.
Filling:
- Make EITHER the lamb / beef Filling, or Spinach & Feta (or make 1/2 batch of both!).
Lamb or Beef Filling:
- Cook – Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Cook garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add capsicum, cook for 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until it changes from pink to brown, breaking it up as you go.
- Spices and spinach – Add cumin, paprika, cayenne (if using), salt, pepper and water. Cook for 2 minutes. Add spinach, stir until wilted.
- Cool before using.
Spinach Feta Filling:
- Scrunch – Place spinach, garlic, egg and pepper in a bowl. Scrunch with hands to reduce volume and make spinach "floppy". (Makes it easier to fold and seal).
- Feta last – Crumble fat in and stir through, trying not to turn it into mush. Cheese gets added when assembling.
Making Gozleme:
- Spread Filling on half the pastry, pushing to the edge. Sprinkle Lamb/Beef Filling with crumbled feta. Sprinkle Spinach Feta with mozzarella cheese.
- Seal – Fold other side of pastry over to cover Filling. Press down edges, pressing out excess air pockets trapped inside as you go. Use water if needed to seal well.
- Transfer – Sprinkle flour on a round pizza paddle (or similar). Slide gozleme onto paddle. (This is for ease of transferring into pan).
Cooking:
- Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. (I usually get 2 pans going). Don't skimp on oil else your gozleme will just burn instead of going golden and crisp.
- Cook until golden – Slide gozleme into skillet. Cook, lightly pressing down (including edges), until deep golden and crispy – about 3 minutes. Flip and cook, pressing down lightly, until crispy.
- Cut and serve – Transfer to cutting board. Cut into 6 or 8 pieces. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
- Cooked gozleme should be eaten asap while hot and crispy!
- Dough can be kept for 3 days in fridge, after doing the 20 minute rest on the counter.
- Do not keep filled uncooked gozleme in fridge – inside sweats and makes underside of dough soggy
- Best way to keep warm while you keep cooking is in 120C/250F oven ON A RACK not on a baking tray (hot gozleme sweats and underside gets soggy)
- Cooked gozleme can be frozen or kept in fridge – cool, wrap, put in container
- Reheat either by pan frying (best way, for crispiness) or on tray in oven at 180C/350F for 7 minutes or so
Nutrition Information:
More tasty things stuffed between crispy bread
Life of Dozer
Dog treat. Everybody say together – “That’s sooooooo Asian!”
Made the spinach gozleme. This turned out perfectly. Didn’t have enough spinach so added onion, rocket and parsley. Also cinnamon, allspice and paprika to the mix. Pastry was thin, crispy and very authentic.
YUM! That would have smelt amazing Alison! N x
Hi again! This time I made a sweet filling for the dough! Used a half recipe, subbed Safflower oil for the olive oil, and mixed by hand. Made 4 large apple turnovers. The 2 fried ones were brilliant (topped with sifted icing sugar), but finicky having to make sure all surfaces browned as I did not want to deep fry. The 2 baked ones, brushed with oil, browned but the pastry was not as tender. Still yummy tho! Thanks again for the inspiration!
Sounds lovely Joyce!! N x
This is AMAZING. The lamb is my absolute favourite and my boyfriend can’t get enough of them. We’ve had them twice this week already!
Can the Gozleme be bake in the oven?
Hi Roma, not really – you really need direct heat to cook them here 🙂 N x
I just made the spinach and feta version of this for lunch, turned out perfect and was absolutely delicious!! Less greasy than the ones you get at the market too which is always a win.
Thanks for another great recipe Nagi!
Nailed it Samantha!! N x
Dear Nagi, love your recipes AND the amazing work you’re doing for our health care workers. I just made a half portion of the spinach and feta gozleme and it was perfect. I used my Breville grill/sandwich press which is incredibly versatile and the perfect size for doing a larger gozleme.
Sounds perfect Maggie! N x
I just made a half portion of the spinach and feta gozleme and it was perfect. I used my Breville grill/sandwich press which is incredibly versatile and the perfect size for doing a larger gozleme.
Looks so good! Can we use frozen spinach or it’s better with fresh ones? Thanks
Hi Tatch, I prefer fresh as it’s less watery – N x
Cannot wait to make this! Especially the spinach one. I have a stash of frozen spinach, that I would like to use in this recipe. Any suggestion on quantity? I’m thinking half ish? 150g and add other ingredients till looks/tastes right.
Hi Nagi
I’d love to know if this dough can be frozen unfilled then thawed and rolled later please?
Sure can Deborah! N x
Hi Nagi,
I don’t have a stand mixer, can I just mix by hand?
Thanks.
Antoinette
yes 100% Antionette! N x
This looks delicious, love feta and spinach. Thank you so much. Have made so many of your recipes and love them.
Thankyou Nagi loved this recipe – wonder if you have any recipe for soup maker machine
kindest regards
margaret
Hi Margaret, sorry I don’t own a soup maker – I just use my pot on the stove! N x
Hi Nagi,
These look delicious.
I am allergic to eggs though. Is it possible to use a substitute (flaxseed eggs or something)?
Thanks a lot
Nicola
Hi Nicola, you can just leave it out 🙂 N x
Hello Nagi:
I am wondering if you have any recipes for gluten free breads or anything. I love bread and for me it is difficult to find things like these flatbreads here,
Hi Sherry, I have been told this recipe works with gluten free flour – I hope you give it a crack! N x
Yum yum yum!
I’ve been looking at empty flour shelves at the supermarket whilst also looking at full bread shelves. Maybe this recipe is the reason?! 😂😂😂
Haha maybe?! I know which I’d prefer to eat!! N x
Easy and delicious. I made it with kale, feta and mozz and added a pinch of nutmeg and fill. So good!
YUM! Sounds perfect Rebecca!
OMG Nagi can’t wait to try! Can the dough be hand kneaded as I dont have stand mixer?
Hi Nagi. I’ve been meaning to try this recipe since you first posted it. Finally got to it tonight and made both kinds. They came out really well. Except. I forgot to put my grated mozzarella inside with the spinach and feta. So I ended up sprinkling it on top. Still tasty, but not all gooey like I wanted. Next time! Thanks again for all your hard work. Much appreciated.
You’ll just have to make it again Joyce 😉 N x
I love your emails and recipes. I was in Australia 2 years ago with my 21 year old son and tried Laksa for the first time. When we got back to US, couldn’t find it…and then found your recipe. Keep up the great food/recipe finds and hugs to Dozer
Thanks so much Moira! N x