Sandra Patatesli çıtır pisi is a Turkish crispy fried flatbread made with mashed potato dough, yeast-leavened, stretched thin by hand and fried in hot oil. It makes 8 flatbreads, serves 4, and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from start to finish including rise time.
The mashed potato goes into the dough before the flour. It makes the inside of the flatbread soft and the outside noticeably crispier than a plain dough pisi. The dough rises for 30 minutes before shaping, then the formed balls rest for a further 10 minutes before going into the pan.
Oil your hands before you stretch the dough, not flour them. Oiled hands give you a smooth surface that fries evenly. When the first piece goes into the pan, give the pan a shake that movement in the hot oil is what helps the dough puff up immediately.
Patatesli Çıtır Pisi Recipe (Turkish Crispy Potato Flatbread)
Description
Turkish crispy fried flatbread made with mashed potato dough, stretched thin by hand and fried in hot oil. Makes 8 flatbreads.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put the warm water, mashed potato, yeast, salt and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until the yeast dissolves.
- Add the flour and knead until you have a smooth, soft dough, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil your hands and shape the dough into a ball. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Knock back the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
- Cover the balls and rest for 10 minutes.
- Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to come about 1cm up the sides. Heat over medium-high heat until a small piece of dough sizzles immediately on contact.
- Lightly oil your hands. Take one dough ball and stretch it into a thin round with your hands. Do not use a rolling pin.
- Lay the flatbread in the hot oil. Immediately shake the pan back and forth to help the dough puff up. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy.
- Remove and drain on a wire rack or kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, oiling your hands each time.
FAQs
My pisi came out flat and did not puff what went wrong?
Either the oil was not hot enough or the yeast was not active. The oil needs to be properly hot before the first flatbread goes in — test it with a small piece of dough and it should sizzle and rise immediately. For the yeast, dissolve it in the warm water first and look for bubbles before adding the flour.
Can I use instant yeast instead of fresh yeast?
Yes. Use 3 to 4 grams of instant yeast (about 1 teaspoon) in place of the 10g fresh yeast. Add it directly to the flour with the other ingredients without dissolving it first. The rise time stays the same.
My pisi came out oily what went wrong?
The oil temperature dropped when the flatbread went in. This happens when the pan is only slightly warm or when too many flatbreads are fried at once. Fry one at a time, keep the heat at medium-high throughout, and let the oil return to temperature between each flatbread.
Can I make the dough ahead and fry it the next day?
Yes. After the first rise, punch the dough down, cover it tightly and refrigerate overnight. The next day, bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes, divide into balls, rest for 10 minutes and fry as normal. The cold slow rise gives a slightly more developed flavour.
What should I serve this with?
Pisi is a natural part of a Turkish breakfast table alongside white cheese, olives and tea. For another Turkish potato flatbread to add to the same table, Potato Stuffed Flatbread (Bazlama) is the baked version — same potato base, different texture. If you want a yeasted oven bread on the same spread, Turkish Ramadan Flatbread (Ramazan Pidesi) is the next natural step.
