Cheesy Turkish Pide with Spiced Beef

Ingredients

For the Spiced Beef Filling:

• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 1 small green bell pepper, stemmed and deseeded
• 1 small tomato
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Pide:

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 (8-ounce) refrigerated pizza dough balls, at room temperature
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Turkish kasar cheese, divided
• 1 large egg, beaten

For Garnish:

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Red chili flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Vegetable Paste and Start Cooking Add the quartered onion, bell pepper, tomato, and garlic cloves to a food processor. Process on high speed for about 30 seconds until everything is finely minced and forms a smooth, chunky paste. Scrape down the sides if needed to ensure everything is evenly processed.
2. Cook the Filling Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the vegetable paste and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated and the mixture is fragrant. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, and black pepper. Stir everything together to combine well. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked through and browned and the mixture is thick and fragrant, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat the Oven While the beef is cooking, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Roll Out the Dough While the filling finishes cooking, lightly flour a clean work surface. Working with one dough ball at a time, roll it out into a large oval shape about ¼ inch thick and roughly 10-12 inches long. The oval doesn't have to be perfect, just aim for an elongated shape rather than a circle.
5. Create the Stuffed Crust Sprinkle ¾ cup of the shredded cheese evenly over the outer 1½ inches of the dough oval, leaving the center clear. This cheese will create your stuffed crust. Fold the edges of the dough over the cheese and press firmly to seal, creating a rope-like border all around the oval. Make sure the cheese is completely enclosed so it doesn't leak out during baking.
6. Shape the Boat To form the traditional boat shape, gently pinch and twist both narrow ends of the oval together, pulling them slightly upward to create pointed tips like the ends of a canoe. The sides should remain slightly open with raised edges to hold the filling. Repeat this entire process with the second dough ball.
7. Fill the Pides Divide the beef mixture evenly between the 2 shaped doughs, spreading it over the centers and keeping it within the raised crust borders. You can use the filling while it's still warm if you're working quickly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese evenly over the beef filling on both pides.
8. Brush with Egg Wash Transfer both pides to the prepared parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the exposed crust edges generously with the beaten egg. This will give you that beautiful golden, shiny finish.
9. Bake Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet from front to back halfway through for even baking. The pides are done when the crust is golden brown, the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the bottom is crispy.
10. Cool and Garnish Remove the pides from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet. This allows the cheese to set slightly and makes them easier to slice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a sprinkle of red chili flakes if you like some heat.
11. Serve Slice each pide into 3-4 pieces and serve warm while the cheese is still gooey and melted.