Quick and Easy Turkish Flatbread – Bazlama

Looking for dishes to pair with your favorite fall soup recipes? Look no further! This recipe for quick and easy Turkish flatbread, bazlama, is ALSO the perfect addition to any Mediterranean dinner spread. The best part? Since there’s no need to proof the dough, you can even make this on a weeknight!

What is Bazlama?

As the title suggests, bazlama is a Turkish style of flatbread that serves a similar purpose as naan and pita do in their respective cultures. The three styles of flatbread are quick to come together and quick to cook, making them a staple in Turkish, Indian, and Middle Eastern cultures, respectively. So, let’s dive in. What are the differences?

What’s the difference between naan, pita, and bazlama?

Naan is a quick bread of medium thickness that is typically oval-shaped. Its dough typically contains animal ingredients, such as yogurt, eggs, and/or butter. Depending on the cook and the occasion, the dough may also contain herbs or seeds. The main selling point of naan, however, is how it is cooked. Naan is traditionally prepared in a tandoor (clay) oven, giving the bread a wonderful smoky quality.

By contrast, pita is a thinner, round flatbread. It is cooked in a hot, steamy oven. The intense heat causes the dough to rise quickly, forming a bubble inside that will become pita’s characteristic pocket. The moisture in the air in the oven can give pita a bit of a crunch, though steam is not always used and many pita are served soft. Pita is also a plainer dough, lacking the characteristic tang of naan and bazlama, as it does not contain yogurt. Its dough traditionally does not contain milk or eggs, either. This makes pita a great choice when the filling needs to shine!

Finally, bazlama. This flatbread is thicker than even naan, and very fluffy. Its dough typically also contains yogurt and is slightly tangy. These Turkish flatbreads are typically round & contain herbs like parsley, either sprinkled on top during and/or after cooking, or in the dough itself. Bazlama is typically cooked on a stovetop in a saj, but in our kitchen, we use a cast iron pan!

What does bazlama mean in Turkish?

Unlike the word “pita,” which in Greek can mean different kinds of pie or pastry, the word “bazlama” means only one thing. The term stands for this fluffy stovetop bread.

Is bazlama healthy?

Like many things in life, the answer to this question depends on how the bread is used. Of course, bread is part of a healthy diet! Flour is typically fortified with iron & B vitamins which your cells need to process energy efficiently! If your bazlama recipe uses whole wheat flour, it is even better. Whole grains contain more fiber, which lessens your body’s glycemic response to their digestion (your blood sugar doesn’t spike as much). However, for most people, even if bazlama is made with all-purpose flour, it can be enjoyed in moderation without guilt.

How do you serve bazlama?

Bazlama can be used for a wide variety of things! It pairs wonderfully with a variety of soups, entrees, and dips. In Turkey, it typically accompanies breakfast dishes! Thinking creatively, it could even be stuffed with a variety of fillings or used as the base of personal pizzas! Our favorite way is to pair it with our Moroccan Red Lentil Soup or Pumpkin Dal Curry! Traditionally, serving with olive oil is the standard. If you’re wondering how to choose a good quality bottle, see our olive oil guide.

How is this quick and easy Turkish flatbread, bazlama, made?

Unlike many other breads, this recipe does not require any special skills or tools. Simply grab a bowl, your ingredients, and heat a pan to get started!

Gather ingredients & activate yeast

First, heat a cup of water to approximately 110 degrees F. It does not need to be exact, but much hotter will kill the yeast & much cooler will not be warm enough to activate the yeast. In our kitchen, this is about the temperature of our hottest tap water.

Into a bowl, add your warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Give it a quick stir, then let it rest for 5-10 minutes to give the yeast time to activate. The temperature of the bowl’s environment is the deciding factor here. The cooler the room is, the longer the yeast will take to activate! If after 10-15 minutes, the mixture does not create a foam, throw it out and start over. The yeast may not have been viable. Once it is bubbly and smells like bread, it is ready to use!

Make the dough

Next, add your remaining ingredients to the bowl and give it a good mix. We prefer to use a Danish whisk because it effectively incorporates ingredients without overworking the dough. However, it is not necessary! You can use a silicone spatula, a wooden spoon, a fork, or even your hands!

When it is fully incorporated, it should be a slightly sticky, shaggy dough ball like in the picture below.

At this stage, I like to cover the dough ball with a tea towel and let it rest while I heat my pan and gather my salt grinder and olive oil sprayer. The next part moves quite quickly!

Grab a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough. We like bigger flatbreads, so we divide our dough ball into six. However, if you prefer smaller (or even larger!) flatbreads to serve your purpose, feel free to adjust the number of dough balls you make. Just make sure to watch the cooking process carefully to ensure they don’t burn!

Cover your dough balls with a tea towel to make sure they don’t get a dry crust. It doesn’t ruin the final product, but it does take away from the fluffiness of bazlama!

Form the flatbreads

There are two options for the next step, which in essence is shaping the dough balls into the flatbreads for cooking. Some prefer to use a rolling pin to make sure their flatbreads are an even thickness throughout! In our kitchen, however, we prefer to shape them by hand.

First, we flour our hands so that we can form the sticky dough balls without making them misshapen! Then, we make the dough ball into a rough, thick pancake shape. Then, hold the dough with both hands on one side, like you would a paper you wanted to rip in half. Slowly rotate the dough ball in your hands, stretching the edges a bit as you go. Let gravity take care of stretching the center of the dough. When it is approximately the size you want, pop it in the hot pan!

Cook the flatbreads

Cook the bazlama for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when the top of the flatbread has bubbles, just like making pancakes! Check that the bottom has nice golden-brown spots, and flip the flatbread. The other side should take approximately the same amount of time to cook.

When they are pulled from the pan, spray some oil onto the top and grind some sea salt on top. If you did not use any herbs in the dough, now would be a good time to add those, as well! Et voila! You have made quick and easy Turkish flatbread, bazlama!

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