Turkuaz Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Dough Recipes for Sweet and Savory Bakes, written by Betül Tunç, features an exciting assortment of global and Turkish dough recipes alongside gorgeous photography and detailed step-by-step instructions. A few highlights include Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Garlic Knots, Pistachio Rolls, Cheddar-Jalapeño Biscuits, Churros with Chocolate Sauce, and Poğaça. I will also be sharing her recipe for Pişi (Turkish Fried Dough) following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Ten Speed Press in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Betül Tunç
Betül Tunç is a baker, food photographer, recipe developer, and founder of Turkuaz Kitchen on social media.
She is grew up in Erzurum, Türkiye and is currently based with her family in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is her first cookbook.
Turkuaz Kitchen
Betül begins Turkuaz Kitchen with an introduction and how she developed a love for baking as a child. She has also put together incredibly helpful sections on pantry essentials, key techniques for working with dough, and a few other tips before getting to the recipes.
Chapters are divided based on type of dough: Basic Doughs, Enriched Doughs, Quick Breads and Short Doughs, Unleavened Doughs, and Doughs from Türkiye. The contents page has a list of the recipes with page number for easy reference.
Along with all the different sweet and savory bakes, Betül has included a few dishes to make with the bread. I especially can’t wait to try the Eggplant and Artichoke Pecorino Cream Sandwiches with the Schiacciata base and İskender Kebabs with Ramadan Pidesi.
The beautiful food photography is also provided by Betül with lifestyle photography by Gentl and Hyers. Every recipe is paired with at least one full-page photo of the finished bake. There are a few step-by-step photos demonstrating specific techniques such as layering Su Böreği (Water Börek) and rolling Croissants.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and often grams. Titles are written in English, the original language, and/or Turkish. Every recipe has a headnote with background information, personal stories, yield, serving ideas, and helpful tips.
Pişi (Turkish Fried Dough)
During one of our recent snow days, the kids requested the Pişi from the Doughs from Türkiye chapter.
These versatile fried pieces of dough come in many variations and shapes. The version in Turkuaz Kitchen uses baking powder (kabartma tozlu pişi) and not yeast (mayalı pişi) in the base, so they come together with just a little bit of time and effort.
Simply knead together the ingredients, allow to rest briefly, then cut into squares or triangles. Fry the cut pieces of dough in hot oil until puffed and golden, then served warm, optionally with a dusting of powdered sugar.
We paired the Pişi with apricot jam and a chocolate hazelnut spread based on Betül’s suggestion. They were definitely a perfect start to the day before going outside into the cold.
For a more savory option, skip the powdered sugar and serve them as a part of a Turkish-style breakfast spread with cheese and a tomato cucumber salad.
A Few Pişi Tips
The most accurate way to measure is by weight. If measuring by cups, do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down.
Cover the dough you are not actively working with to keep it from drying out.
Make sure to swirl the oil in the pan (carefully) immediately after adding the pieces of dough. This will help them puff more and create the airy texture. Betül recommends a pot with two handles to have easier control.
Do not crowd the pan when frying. They need room to expand in the oil.
Keep the temperature no higher than 350˚F (180˚C) and adjust as needed. Too low and the dough won’t fry and will just soak in the oil. Too high and they will become too dark before the center has had a chance to cook.
These Pişi are best shortly after frying. They do not keep well and aren’t good as leftovers.
More Bakes
I also made Pretzel Bites, Cramique, Burger Buns, and Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta.
The Pretzel Bites are one of the variations from the soft pretzel recipe. These little pieces of dough are boiled briefly in a lye bath (or baking soda), then baked until golden. For a more sweet option, you can opt for a cinnamon sugar coating.
The Cramique is Betül’s signature brioche recipe. It is also now a favorite with my daughter. This enriched dough needs some time to rest, but the resulting loaf is completely worth it with a pillowy texture studded with chocolate chips and topped with pearl sugar. We enjoyed ours simply sliced, but there is a recipe to turn the bread into quite the decadent Crème Brûlée French Toast with Vanilla Sauce.
The Burger Buns were my son’s pick. Definitely so much better than store-bought, these buns come together relatively easily to create an amazing base for burgers or other sandwiches. You can even make gourmet black buns with the addition of activated charcoal. The following recipe uses these buns for Fried Chicken Sandwiches with Burger Sauce.
The Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta was such a wonderful dinner for the whole family. A homemade basic pasta dough is cut into spaghetti (I used a chitarra), then paired with a roasted cherry tomato and red sweet pepper sauce.
Turkuaz Kitchen is a fantastic pick for those interested in baking projects using a variety of techniques and flavors. The attention to detail and well-written, thought-out instructions are perfect for both beginners and more experienced bakers.
Some bakes come together in as little as 2 hours, but most are best for weekend baking projects. Many of the recipes have multiple proofing options, from shorter room temperature rests to overnight (or a couple of days) in the refrigerator.
The ingredients are generally available in larger American grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include flaxseed meal, sumac, Turkish red pepper paste, cookie butter, semolina flour, star anise, Urfa Biber, and pomegranate molasses.
Pişi (Turkish Fried Dough) Recipe
Excerpt from Turkuaz Kitchen
Pişi (Turkish Fried Dough)
Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 cups (390 grams) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon (12 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) kosher salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (9 grams) baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (62 grams) whole-milk yogurt
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) water at room temperature, 75˚-80˚F (24˚-27˚C)
Pişi:
- Neutral oil for deep-frying
- Powdered sugar for serving
- Apricot jam for serving
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder until fully incorporated.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, milk, and water.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Using your hands or a bowl scraper, mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough comes together.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, knead for 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough is almost smooth.
- Loosely cover with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel and let rest on the work surface for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Knead the dough for another 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. (Alternatively, you can knead the dough in a stand mixer on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.)
- Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Make the Pişi:
- Line a plate with paper towels and set near the stove.
- Uncover the dough and use a sharp knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 2 equal portions.
- Cup your hands around both sides of one piece of dough and roll into a quick ball. Repeat with the other piece.
- Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
- Pour 2 1/2 inches (6.3 centimeters) of oil into a large pot and heat the oil over medium heat to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Working with one ball at a time (and keeping the other one covered), place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll into an 8-to 9-inch (20-23 centimeter) round.
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into 2-inch (5 centimeter) squares, or cut into 3 inch (7.6 centimeter) squares and then cut on the diagonal for triangles. The squares don't have to be perfect, some edges will be rounded and that's totally okay.
- Working in batches of 8 to 10 (to avoid crowding), carefully place the dough pieces in the hot oil and carefully swirl the pot lightly a few times to cover each piece with oil. This will ensure that your dough cooks more evenly and has a crispy outside and air-filled inside. Continue to fry for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring periodically with a straining spoon so each side is golden brown and cooked well.
- Remove to the paper towels.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve with apricot jam while warm.
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