Yufka is a typical flat bread from Turkey. This dough is thinner than Mexican tortillas but has more body than phyllo dough. It is considered to be a kind of derivative of it.
This “bread” is an essential component of Turkish cuisine and is used not only as such but also in the preparation of various national dishes such as baklava, börek or gözleme. Its main ingredients are flour, water, olive oil and salt. This dough is stretched with a rolling pin called “oklava” until it has the thickness of a paper (with an approximate diameter of 50 to 75cm). Although it is very thin, it has the necessary texture to hold a shawarma.
When this dough becomes bread, called yufka ekmek, it is cooked on a frying pan turned upside down called saç for about 3 minutes. They are stacked on top of each other and can be kept in a cool environment for up to 8 months.
The origin of yufka
According to food historian Charles Perry, this recipe began in Central Asia with nomads from Central Asia and Anatolia. Although it is a bread that is typically associated with the Turks, it can also be made by Austrians and inhabitants of Southeastern Europe (although perhaps under a different name).
This dough, unlike phyllo dough, has a slightly more consistent texture although still similar to puff pastry. Since they can get hard and dry quickly if not served immediately, it is possible to soften them a bit by sprinkling them with warm water and letting them rest on a cotton kitchen cloth for 10-12 minutes.
Cooking tips
It is necessary that the work surface is covered with flour at all times when rolling out the dough to prevent it from sticking. If it is not possible to use a saç, it can be cooked on an ordinary non-stick frying pan. It is also possible, if desired, to add eggs or oil to change the dough a little.
To make the bread, the raw dough should be cooked for one minute in the pan until it gains a little color. This recipe usually accompanies meats, vegetables and sauces in the same way as it is used to wrap the dürüm.
The bakers (also called yufkacı) manage to stretch this dough so thin that it is even possible to read and see through it. After combining the ingredients they let the dough rest for a few hours before baking, and finally divide it into small pieces of approximately 50 grams each. Due to the large amounts of flour in the recipe, it is possible to stretch several portions together without them sticking together. During baking, the bread should be turned over to brown both sides.
Nowadays it is possible to get yufkas in Turkish supermarkets, although they are usually even drier than the homemade ones (as well as more fragile). However, there are stores that also sell them fresh and ready to eat.
This recipe is validated by our Turkish culinary expert, Chef Dilara Erbay, of Abracadabra Magic Deli in New York.
Yufka
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup lukewarm water (more or less), at 97 F / 36°C
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Flour (for the work surface)
- Olive oil (for the resting and for the hot plate)
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 7 sheets parchment paper
- 1 hot plate (or a large griddle)
- Rolling pin
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and salt.
- Dig a well in the center and pour in the water and oil.
- Knead until getting a sticky dough.
- On a well floured work surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes, adding flour or water if necessary, until the dough is no longer sticky. It should be smooth and more importantly, elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a large bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil and turn it over to coat the entire surface.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours.
- On a floured work surface, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll them up.
- Cover the balls of dough with a cloth and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- On a floured work surface, using a smooth, lightly floured rolling pin, roll each ball into a very thin circle about 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter, sprinkling with flour if necessary to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Place each disc of dough in a pile between sheets of parchment paper. Heat a non-stick hot plate or griddle about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter over high heat. Lightly oil the hot plate.
- Peel a disc of dough from the parchment paper and place it on the hot plate, carefully using the fingertips to place it flat, if necessary.
- Cook over medium heat until lightly browned and puffy in places for about 2 minutes.
- Using a spatula, turn over and cook until the other side is lightly browned in places, for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a large dish.
- Repeat the operation with all the remaining discs of dough, stacking the baked flatbreads so that they stay warm.
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Nita is the foodie blogger behind Tastesspicy. Originally from the small Island of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, she now lives in the cold Tundra of Minnesota, USA where she enjoys sharing recipes from around the world, particularly from the Caribbean featuring foods with a spicy, but flavorful flair.
Beckett says
I usually make this for our tortillas.
Angelo says
It isn’t called Filo in Britain. Filo/Phyllo is made differently than Yufka and to a different thickness. It is a common misconception because 3 layers of Filo is a suggested substitute for Yufka for those who don’t have access to it at their stores.