michelle picker cooks

This Turkish flat bread called bazlama is cooked in a pan or on a griddle. Served fresh and warm, it makes a simple meal so delicious.

Dissolve 7g (¼oz) active dry yeast, 2 teaspoons of white sugar and 4 teaspoons of salt in 1½ cups of warm water. Add the water and half a cup of Greek-style yogurt to 4 cups of all-purpose flour and mix well. The dough will be very soft but shouldn’t be sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow it to rise at room temperature for 3 hours. Cut the dough into four portions and shape into rounds then flatten each round. Cover the rounds with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes. To cook, heat a cast iron pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook each round for about one minute or until brown spots appear on the bottom then turn over and cook for an additional minute. Remove the bread and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Mine was served with fried halloumi cheese, hummous, dolmades and pieces of fresh tomato and cucumber.