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Whether you are craving oozing cheese and meaty goodness, these boat-shaped filled breads are part and parcel of Turkish street food 

Pide 2 ways

Makes 6 (3 of each flavour)

Ingredients

1 packet (10g) instant yeast 
2 Tbsp (30ml) sugar
6 ⅔ cups (1kg) flour 
1 tsp (5ml) salt
1¾ – 2 cups (430-500ml) lukewarm water 
⅓ cup (80ml) canola oil 
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp (45ml) each white and black sesame seeds  

For the beef filling 

2 tsp (10ml) canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic. finely minced 
½ tsp (3ml) ground cumin
½ tsp (3ml) ground coriander 
Pinch ground cinnamon 
250g beef mince 
½ cup (125ml) beef stock
3 eggs
Salt and milled pepper  

For the cheesy filling 

1 cup (125g) mature Cheddar
1 cup (125g) white Cheddar 
2 tsp (10ml) chilli flakes 
2 spring onions, finely sliced 
2 Tbsp (30ml) za’atar
Salt and milled pepper  

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients in the base of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (or simply use a mixing bowl).
2. Add the water and oil, while mixing to form a dough. (Add just enough water for a ball to form.) Knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover the surface of the dough with clingwrap, followed by a clean kitchen towel. Place dough in a warm place and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
4. For the beef filling, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
5. Fry the onion for about 3-4 minutes, then add the garlic and spices. Fry for another 1-2 minutes. 
6. Add the mince and fry for 5 minutes until browned. 
7. Lower the heat, add the stock and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Season, set aside and cool. 
8. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
9. Knock down the dough and divide into six equally sized balls. 
10. Roll each piece into 25x12cm. Taper the ends of dough pieces into the iconic boat shape. Fold about lcm of dough inward to create a border to keep the filling inside. Gently flatten the inner area to make space for the filling. 
11. Add the meat filling to three dough boats. For the cheesy pide, add the cheese and chilli flakes to the remaining boats. 
12. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 
13. Bake until cooked and golden, about 15-20 minutes. 
14. Sprinkle cheesy boats with spring onions and za’atar. 
15. Serve hot out of the oven. 

Cook’s note
This recipe makes 6 pide boats, 3 of each variant. If you want to make only meaty or cheesy ones, double the quantity of the filling.

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

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Air fryers seem like a magical kitchen appliance that can do no wrong, but (sadly) you can’t use them to cook everything. From soggy messes to uneven cooks, it’s best to avoid using an air fryer for these 3 foods. 

1. Uncooked grains  

Cooking a grain that must be submerged in water? Ditch the air fryer for this one! An air fryer is designed to cook dry ingredients. Not only would this (still) trending appliance not heat up the water properly, causing a mushy mess, the liquid can seep through into parts of the air fryer that can cause electric malfunctions. 

Still want to cook pasta in the air fryer? Rather try this viral recipe to make pasta chips! 

@munchin_mash Pasta chips #pastachips #friedpasta #airfriedpasta ♬ original sound – Wayne Chang

2. Large bone in cuts of meat  

Although convenient, an air fryer is not built to roast a big cut of meat with the bone in. Rather use the oven for this one. Why? Roasting a leg of lamb or any other choice of roast in this handy appliance will result in unevenly cooked meat. The result? Raw meat on one side, while some parts of your meat will be (too) well done.  

3. Leafy greens 

While there are many ways to prepare your veggies, cooking your leafy greens in an air fryer is not one of them. Leafy greens are lightweight, and the way that the air circulates through the air fryer can cause the leaves to blow around. This can result in some leaves being crispy and others being shrivelled up.   

These kale chips are the perfect healthy snack to make in the oven instead 

@salad.gold The perfect snack #snack #snacks #vegan #rawvegan #vegantiktok #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #healthy ♬ Everything I Wanted – Nuq

Image: Shutterstock

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Don’t let those leftovers go to waste when you can turn them into something even better! Here are three ways that you can give those delicious leftovers new life. Not only will it reduce food wastage, but you can save time and (most importantly) your grocery budget.  

Breathe new life into your meals

Your extra portions are full of potential! Whether you’ve cooked way too much food or if that was your plan from the get-go, you can always breathe new life into any leftover portions. It might even taste better than your OG meal. Here are some suggestions for the following leftover ingredients:

Rice

Fried rice

Asian rice salad with shredded roast chicken

Immune-boosting lemony chicken and brown rice broth

Watermelon poke bowl

Meat

Spicy chicken with pea patties

Chicken mayo sandwich with pickled red onion

Vietnamese chicken pancakes

Pork spring rolls with red-wine reduction

Vegetables

Roast vegetable and ginger snap cups

Crispy Asian dumplings

Freeze for a busy day

Instead of storing your leftovers in the fridge, go straight for the freezer. Whenever you cook and have extra portions left, freeze them in small containers and mark them clearly. Those containers are a lifesaver when life gets too busy one day and you can just defrost a meal or use those small portions to re-create a quick new meal. That way you can cook once and still reap the benefits weeks later.

Clear your fridge once a week

Does your fridge look like a rainbow of containers filled with leftovers by the end of the week? Inspect all the contents, check what’s still good to eat, then serve your family a buffet-style meal with the week’s leftovers. Mix and match your food to create a main dish. Or create fun new dishes like wraps, sandwiches and salads by adding some extra ready-to-eat ingredients. It’s a no-fuss way of feeding your family without the hassle of cooking (again).

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Get ready to impress your friends (and your taste buds). From ingredient choices to technique, here are three ways to take your burger from ordinary to extraordinary. 

Choose the right meat 

When it comes to burgers, choosing the right meat is crucial. The more fat there is in the meat, the juicier and more delicious the patty will be. Minced beef, lamb or pork, which have a higher fat content (usually around 20%), are ideal for a succulent burger. If you are looking for leaner cuisine, opt for a chicken burger instead – here, the leaner the chicken breast, the better.  

Get creative with your ‘buns’ 

Unlock a whole new world of flavour when you swap out your bread buns. Although we love a bun-less burger (thank you for your service, lettuce wraps), we’re loving a fried chicken burger between two waffles, or wrapping a beef patty in caramelised onion slices (looking at you, Flying Dutchman). Another idea is to mix sweet and savoury by pressing your chicken burger between two glazed doughnut rings – a weird and wonderful combination that tastes delicious!  

Layer to perfection 

When building your burger, you want to get the order of the ingredients just right for the perfect flavour explosion when you sink your teeth into it. After toasting the bun, add your sauce of choice and layer on your fresh ingredients – think rocket, cucumber and tomato. This layer will catch all the meat juices. Now add a slice of cheese before topping with your hot patty straight from the pan or grill – the cheese will instantly melt and stick to the patty as it rests on it. Finish with extras like pickled onion, gherkins and creamy avocado. Yum! 

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Elevate your potjie game with these 4 expert yet simple tips.

A potjie is made up of four parts and each needs to be perfectly executed for your potjie to be praiseworthy. Be sure to layer these elements carefully; ingredients that require a longer cooking time should be added in first. 

Meat

Use meat cuts that contain bones or are notoriously tough as these are perfect for long, slow cooking which unlocks oodles of flavour. Try these cuts in your next pot: 

Beef – Short ribs,
Chicken – Bone-in
Lamb – Knuckles,
Pork – Neck, shin 

Vegetables 

Onions, carrots, celery, and leeks are usually fried with aromatics (herbs and spices) first, as these become the flavour base for your potjie. Veggies like butternut and pumpkin, which will need longer to cook, should be added to the potjie before the more tender veg. The 

softer vegetables like green beans, mini corn, and fresh mushrooms, which have a much shorter cooking time, should be added towards the end. 

Starches 

Just like a sponge, starch soaks up all the delicious sauce that’s spent hours developing in flavour. Potatoes or sweet potatoes are great choices, but you can also use orzo (pasta rice), basmati rice or baby potatoes. Aside from incorporating the starch into the potjie, it can also be served on the side. 

Liquids 

Stock and water are great options for those who don’t consume alcohol, but there are other ways to build flavour with liquid. Try adding tomato purée, coconut milk or canned chopped tomatoes. Take into account that vegetables contain water as well, so don’t add too much liquid as veggies will cook down and create their own “sauce”. Alcohol like stout beer or sherry can also be used to add deeper flavour to your potjie. 

Words: Sjaan van der Ploeg 

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

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