Equipment
Ingredients
Flatbread Dough
- 300 g all-purpose flour
- 160 ml warm water
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Savory Spinach Filling
- 200 g fresh spinach, washed, dried thoroughly, and roughly chopped
- 50 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 garlic, minced
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Finishing
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 523 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 61 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 961 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 47 mg
- Potassium
- 399 mg
- Calcium
- 339 mg
- Iron
- 2.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 68 mg
- Phosphorus
- 281 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 343 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 14 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 248 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 126 mcg
- Water
- 114 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and kosher salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water and olive oil.
Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
While the dough rests, prepare the filling. In a bowl, combine the thoroughly dried chopped spinach, grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, minced garlic, and black pepper. Toss well to distribute the cheeses evenly.
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces, rolling each into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough ball into a very thin rectangle, roughly 25cm by 35cm.
Spread one-quarter of the spinach and cheese filling over half of the rolled dough, leaving a 2cm border at the edges.
Fold the empty half of the dough over the filling to create a large rectangle. Press the edges firmly to seal, expelling any trapped air as you go.
Preheat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat, approximately 175 C / 350 F. Do not add oil to the pan; it should be dry.
Carefully transfer one filled flatbread to the dry skillet. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until characteristic brown blisters appear.
Flip the flatbread and cook for another 3 minutes on the second side until crisp and the cheese inside has melted. Transfer to a cutting board.
Immediately brush the hot flatbread with melted butter on both sides. Repeat the rolling, filling, and cooking process with the remaining dough and filling.
Cut the flatbreads into squares or wedges and serve warm.
Chef's Notes
- Resting the dough is not optional; this step relaxes the gluten network, allowing you to stretch the dough paper-thin without it snapping back or tearing.
- While feta provides the traditional briny backbone to a Turkish filling, Parmesan acts as an umami booster that pairs remarkably well with the earthy fall spinach.
- Dry cooking on a cast iron pan mimics the traditional Turkish 'sac' griddle. Brushing with butter only after cooking keeps the flatbread from frying or becoming greasy.
- Expelling air before sealing the edges prevents the flatbread from ballooning excessively in the pan, ensuring even contact with the cooking surface.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 2 months — Separate flatbreads with parchment paper before freezing.
Reheating: Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side until warmed through and crisp.
Troubleshooting
Dough tears when rolling
Cause: Gluten has not relaxed enough or dough is too dry
Fix: Pinch the torn edges back together and let the dough rest 10 more minutes before continuing
Prevention: Ensure dough rests for the full 30 minutes; add a touch more water during mixing if ambient humidity is low
Flatbread is soggy and tears in the pan
Cause: Spinach retained too much water
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled, but cook slightly longer on lower heat to evaporate excess moisture
Prevention: Spin the washed spinach in a salad spinner and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels
Cheese leaks out during cooking
Cause: Edges were not sealed securely or the flatbread was overfilled
Fix: Scrape escaping cheese from the pan quickly so it does not burn, and proceed cooking
Prevention: Leave a clean 2cm border and press firmly to seal the edges before cooking
Cultural Context
Gozleme is a beloved traditional Turkish savory flatbread, commonly prepared by village women and sold at street markets. The dough is expertly rolled paper-thin, stuffed with various regional fillings, and griddle-cooked on a convex metal pan called a sac. While white cheeses like beyaz peynir are traditional, blending in Parmesan offers a contemporary fusion twist.
