Sandra Potato stuffed flatbread (bazlama) is a Turkish unleavened flatbread filled with a cheesy mashed potato, parsley and cheese stuffing, pressed thin and cooked on a dry hot pan until golden on both sides. Soft, stretchy dough with a molten, savoury centre.
This version is made without yeast, which means you have to press them thin. That’s the single most important thing to get right. Thick, unleavened dough stays raw and chewy in the middle because there’s no yeast to lighten it from the inside. Thin dough cooks through quickly on the hot pan and stays soft and pliable instead of turning hard and bready. Press from the centre outward with oiled fingers and don’t be shy about how thin you go.
The dough should feel slightly sticky after kneading. Most people add too much flour trying to get a clean, firm ball, and that’s where they go wrong. A slightly tacky dough is what gives you a soft, flexible flatbread. If the dough feels like playdough, it’s too dry and the bazlama will be stiff and tough. Keep it just sticky enough that it pulls away from the bowl but still clings slightly to your fingers.
Potato Stuffed Flatbread (Bazlama) Ingredients
For the Dough
- 250ml (9fl oz) milk
- 250ml (9fl oz) water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 560-625g (1lb 4oz-1lb 6oz) plain flour
For the Filling
- 3-4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
- 75g (3oz) cheddar or kashkaval cheese, grated
- Salt, to taste
- Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
For Cooking
- Vegetable oil, for your hands
- Butter, for brushing after cooking
How To Make Potato Stuffed Flatbread (Bazlama)
- Make the dough: Put the milk, water, salt and oil in a large bowl. Add the flour gradually, mixing as you go, until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead for 5-6 minutes. The dough should pull away from the bowl but still feel slightly tacky. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Make the filling: Mix the cooled mashed potato with the grated cheese, salt and chopped parsley. Divide into 8-10 equal balls.
- Stuff the dough: Divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces. Flatten each piece slightly in your palm, place a potato ball in the centre, gather the edges up and pinch to seal. Pinch off any excess dough at the top so the seal isn’t too thick. Roll gently into a smooth ball.
- Press thin: Dip your fingers in oil. Place a stuffed ball on your work surface and press from the centre outward, stretching it into a thin, flat round. Press firmly and evenly. The bazlama should be as thin as you can get it without tearing. This is critical for an unleavened dough, thick ones stay raw inside.
- Cook on the pan: Heat a large, dry frying pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Place a bazlama in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, turning a few times, until golden brown spots appear on both sides and the dough is cooked through.
- Serve: Brush each cooked bazlama with butter while still hot. Stack and serve straight away.
Recipe Tips
Press them thin, this is not optional. Without yeast in the dough, thick bazlama stays raw and chewy in the centre. Press from the centre outward with oiled hands until the dough is as thin as you can manage without the filling breaking through.
Keep the dough slightly sticky. A firm, dry dough makes tough flatbread. The slight tackiness is what gives the bazlama its soft, flexible texture. If the dough isn’t sticking to your fingers at all, it has too much flour.
Heat the pan properly before cooking. A cold or warm pan means the dough sits and steams instead of searing. The pan should be hot enough that the bazlama sizzles lightly when it hits the surface. No oil in the pan, just dry heat.
Shape them just before cooking. The stuffed balls soften as they sit and become harder to press out evenly. Shape one or two at a time, cook them, then move to the next batch. If a ball has softened, roll it gently between your hands to reshape before pressing.
What To Serve With Potato Stuffed Flatbread
These are filling enough on their own with a cup of Turkish tea alongside. The butter brushed on after cooking is all the richness they need.
For a bigger meal, serve with a bowl of strained yoghurt, a simple tomato and cucumber salad, or alongside grilled meats. They also work well as part of a breakfast spread with eggs, olives and cheese.
How To Store Potato Stuffed Flatbread
Fridge
Stack with greaseproof paper between each one and store in a sealed container for up to 2 days. They soften overnight but reheat well.
Reheat
Warm in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes each side until soft and hot through. The oven works too at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 5 minutes wrapped in foil. Microwaving makes them rubbery.
Freeze
Freeze cooked and cooled bazlama with greaseproof paper between each one in a freezer bag. They keep for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes each side.
Potato Stuffed Flatbread (Bazlama) Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 bazlama, based on 10): Calories: 310kcal, Protein: 9g, Fat: 8g, Carbohydrates: 52g, Sugar: 3g, Sodium: 420mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, add one sachet (7g) of dried yeast to the milk and water, let it foam for 5 minutes, then continue as normal. With yeast, you don’t need to press them as thin because the dough rises and cooks through more easily.
Either the dough wasn’t pressed thin enough or it had too much flour. Without yeast, the dough relies on being thin to cook through properly. A thick, over-floured bazlama stays dense and tough.
Yes, sweet potato mash works but it’s wetter. Drain and mash it without adding any liquid, and let it cool completely before stuffing. The filling may be slightly softer so handle the bazlama gently when pressing.
Potato Stuffed Flatbread Recipe (Bazlama)
Description
Unleavened flatbreads stuffed with cheesy mashed potato and parsley, pressed thin and cooked on a dry hot pan until golden, brushed with butter and served hot.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
For the Filling:
Instructions
- Mix milk, water, salt and oil, add flour gradually and knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough, rest 30 minutes.
- Mix cooled mashed potato with grated cheese, salt and parsley, divide into 8-10 balls.
- Divide dough into 8-10 pieces, flatten each, place a potato ball in the centre, pinch shut and roll smooth.
- With oiled fingers, press each ball from the centre outward into a thin flat round, as thin as possible without tearing.
- Cook on a dry, very hot frying pan for 2-3 minutes each side, turning a few times until golden spots appear, brush with butter and serve hot.
