By A.J. Griffiths-Jones
Like many Europeans, I can’t resist a traditional Italian pizza with the wide variety of toppings available and we certainly have our fair share of pizza outlets here in Turkiye.
However, since moving to the Aegean, I’m beginning to realise that the beautiful boat-shaped Turkish pide is a great alternative, as not only is it thinner and contains less sauce, but the calorie count is far lower without compromising on taste.
Traditionally cooked in a wood-fired oven, just like its Italian counterpart, a pide is crispier on the outside and slightly chewier in the middle. Of course, the idea of this being a healthier option all depends upon your chosen fillings and the quantity eaten.
Just as ‘pizza’ translates from Italian as ‘pie’ in English, pide has more or less the same meaning, although both ‘pide’ and ‘pitta’ are thought to come from the Byzantine Greek word for ‘cake.’
When choosing a pizza, we can typically select any kind of topping, in fact I have even seen a Nutella version available, whereas traditional pide fillings seem to be more limited, with regular options being, mince, chopped beef or lamb, Turkish sausage, eggs, cheese and spinach.
However, don’t let this deter you from trying this national delicacy, as a good chef will mix and match ingredients to your taste and dietary needs. While minced lamb and full-fat cheese is absolutely delicious in a pide, so too is spinach and feta, lessening the calories, cholesterol, and fat in your meal.
Don’t get me wrong though, one high-calorie ingredient in this great Turkish dish is butter, which is usually brushed onto the outside of the dough after baking to give it that lovely crispy texture.
Pide is said to have originated in the city of Samsun and Turks have been enjoying it throughout the Black Sea region since 1725. Traditionally, families would prepare their own topping and take it to the local bakery where it would be tucked into the dough before being sprinkled with a blend of herbs and spices.
Popularity of this easily portable foodstuff spread throughout the country and nowadays you would be hard pushed to find a town that doesn’t have at least one pide restaurant.
As I mentioned, eggs are a common topping for pide, but there is a trick for eating it. The yolk needs to be of a slightly runny consistency, you then take both pointed ends of the pide dough and dip it in, enjoying the rest of your lunch without dribbling egg all over your shirt!
What about accompaniments? Most restaurants will serve side salad with your pide with the all-important lemon wedges to squeeze over. Whilst with an Italian pizza you might order a glass of wine or coca-cola, the perfect match for Turkish pide is the yogurt-based drink of ayran, a salty fix created to aid digestion.
In August 2018, bakers in Aydin province attempted, and succeeded, in breaking the world record for creating the longest pide ever. At eight and a half meters it was a full metre longer than its predecessor and was paraded through the streets on traditional wooden boards by dozens of locals.
Of course, a typical pide is much shorter, but I still find it a feat to eat a full one. Luckily this is one street snack that reheats well and can be enjoyed the next day with no impairment to flavour.
With Italian pizza being such a firm favourite with both expats and locals, we may wonder whether takeaway outlets of this famous food will one day obliterate its Turkish counterpart.
The simple answer is no.
With pizza costing at least twice as much as a pide here in Turkiye, it will always remain a once-in-a-while treat, whereas pide can be enjoyed without pinching your pocket.
Pide is also an important and traditional food here and will always have its place in Turkish cuisine.