Pişi
Pişi are rounds of yeast dough, flattened thin, with a hole in the centre and fried in oil until puffed and golden. In Turkey they are often made for a weekend breakfast. They are crisp outside, fluffy inside and neutral in flavour — so they go with everything on a Turkish breakfast table: white cheese, olives, tomatoes, honey with kaymak or jam. The dough rises for an hour, and they are eaten straight away, hot.
Your own work in that: 25 min.
- Dough 10 min
- Rising 60 min
- Shaping 15 min
- Frying in batches 25 min
Step by step
0 / 8 doneMake the dough
Mix the flour with the yeast, sugar and salt. Add the water, milk and a spoonful of oil and knead 8–10 minutes into a soft, smooth, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour — the dough should stay soft.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Leave to rise
Cover the dough and leave somewhere warm an hour, until doubled.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Doubled — ready to shape.Divide into balls
Oil your hands. Divide the dough into 16 pieces of about 55 g and roll into balls.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Flatten
Flatten each ball with oiled fingers into a round about 12 cm across and 5 mm thick, and poke a hole in the centre with a finger — it fries evenly and does not balloon.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
A hole in the middle — even frying.Heat the oil
Pour the oil into a wide pan or deep frying pan (about 26 cm) — no more than half full — and heat to 175°C. Never leave hot oil unattended.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Fry in batches
Fry 2–3 rounds at a time, 1–2 minutes per side, until puffed and golden. Frying all the batches takes about 25 minutes.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
They puff in the oil — golden on both sides.Drain
Lift the pişi out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Serve hot
Serve at once, hot, with white cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, honey with kaymak or jam.
Ingredients: 500 g plain flour · 7 g dried yeast · 1 tsp sugar · 9 g salt · 180 ml lukewarm water · 180 ml lukewarm milk · 2 tbsp oil (for the dough and hands) · 800 ml oil for frying
Before you start
With yoghurt
Part of the milk is often replaced with yoghurt — the dough is then more tender and slightly tangy.
Filled
Pişi can be filled with white cheese and parsley: put a spoonful of filling on one round, cover with another and pinch the edges before frying.
Storage
Pişi are best hot. You can make the dough in the evening and put it straight into the fridge in a large covered bowl — it rises slowly overnight. In the morning let it warm for 30 minutes before shaping.
