Lamb, silverbeet and feta gözleme recipe

This filled Turkish pastry has become a staple at markets across Sydney and Australia. Made with soft dough rolled out until thin, it is then filled with any number of things, including the ever-popular spinach and feta. Here, we’ve used lamb, silverbeet and feta for a spin on the classic.

Makes 6
Preparation 1hr
Cooking 1hr 10min
Skill level Mid

By
Leanne Kitchen

Ingredients

635 g (4¼ cups) plain flour, plus extra, to dust
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra, to brush
80 ml (⅓ cup) vegetable oil, to brush
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500 g minced lamb
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground allspice
200 g feta, crumbled
80 g (2 cups) finely chopped silverbeet leaves
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
lemon wedges, to serve

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Resting time 3 hours

Sift flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Slowly add 375 ml (1½ cups) lukewarm water and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 3 hours to rest.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add lamb, paprika, cumin, allspice and ½ a teaspoon of pepper and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, for 6 minutes or until lamb is browned. Transfer to a bowl, add feta, silverbeet, parsley, mint and spring onions. Season with salt and mix to combine. Set aside.

Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface into a 30 cm x 40 cm rectangle, making sure the dough is very thin. Brush rectangle with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and fold into a square. Repeat rolling, brushing and folding 2 more times. Repeat process with remaining dough pieces.

Working with one square of dough at a time, roll out to a thin 30 cm square. Sprinkle filling over half the square and fold over to enclose. Press down lightly all over, seal edges and brush with olive oil on both sides. Repeat with remaining squares.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook gozleme one at a time, pressing down lightly with a spatula, for 5 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through. Cut into pieces and serve with lemon wedges.

Photography Chris Chen. Food preparation Kirsten Jenkins. Styling Vivien Walsh.

As seen in Feast magazine, September 2014, Issue 35.