Imagine a rich, aromatic ground beef stew loaded with colorful vegetables and topped with an ultra-thin, golden, flaky pastry that’s made with olive oil and hot water – no butter, no yeast, no waiting. This incredible Turkish-style “tepsi köfteli pide” or one-pan minced meat bake is unbelievably flavorful, comforting, and surprisingly easy. One bite and you’ll understand why everyone who tries it asks for the recipe immediately!
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Ground Beef & Vegetable Filling
- 600 g (1.3 lbs) ground beef (20% fat works best)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced small
- 2 celery sticks, diced small
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 3–4 ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped (about 400 g)
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes or sweet paprika
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
For the Crispy Hot-Water Olive Oil Pastry
- 230 g (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 ml (⅖ cup) olive oil
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) hot (not boiling) water
- 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water (for brushing)
- 2–3 tablespoons sesame seeds or nigella seeds
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Ground Beef Filling
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains (about 6–7 minutes).
- Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add grated tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 10–12 minutes until most liquid evaporates and you have a thick, rich sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Prepare the Super Easy Pastry Dough
- In a bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add olive oil and hot water. Stir with a spoon until it forms a soft, non-sticky dough (takes less than 1 minute).
- Knead lightly on a floured surface for 20–30 seconds until smooth. Cover and rest 10 minutes.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (356 °F) fan / 200 °C conventional.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval or rectangle slightly larger than your pan (about 2–3 mm thick).
- Transfer the cooled beef-vegetable mixture into an oven-safe skillet or baking dish (28–30 cm diameter).
- Carefully lay the rolled dough over the filling. Tuck the edges down around the sides like a blanket.
- Brush generously with egg yolk mixed with a little water. Sprinkle sesame or nigella seeds all over.
- Bake on the middle rack for 28–30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crispy.
Serve
Let rest 5 minutes, then slice like a pie. Serve hot with yogurt, fresh salad, or simply on its own.
Total Time
55–60 minutes
Servings
4 generous or 6 smaller portions
Nutrition (per serving, based on 6 servings)
Approx. 485 kcal | 28 g protein | 38 g carbohydrates | 26 g fat
Why This Recipe Is Absolutely Addictive
The hot-water olive oil dough is incredibly flaky and stays crispy even on top of the juicy filling – no soggy bottom ever! The ground beef becomes perfectly tender and deeply flavored from the vegetables and tomato base, while the thin pastry adds that irresistible crunch. It’s a complete meal baked in one pan, minimal washing up, and tastes even better the next day.
Make this once and it will become your new family favorite – guaranteed!
Tepsi Köfteli Pide
A rich and aromatic ground beef stew topped with a crispy olive oil pastry, this Turkish-style one-pan dish is comforting and full of flavor.
For the Ground Beef & Vegetable Filling
- 600 g 600 g ground beef (20% fat works best)
- 1 large 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium 1 medium carrot, diced small
- 2 sticks 2 celery sticks, diced small
- 1 piece 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 400 g 3–4 ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped (about 400 g)
- 3-4 cloves 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon ½ teaspoon black pepper (Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes or sweet paprika)
- 2-3 tablespoons 2–3 tablespoons olive oil for cooking
For the Crispy Hot-Water Olive Oil Pastry
- 230 g 230 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 ml 100 ml olive oil
- 160 ml 160 ml hot (not boiling) water
- 1 egg yolk 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water (for brushing)
- 2-3 tablespoons 2–3 tablespoons sesame seeds or nigella seeds
Make the Ground Beef Filling
- Heat 2–3 tablespoons olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains (about 6–7 minutes).
- Add onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add grated tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 10–12 minutes until most liquid evaporates and you have a thick, rich sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Prepare the Super Easy Pastry Dough
- In a bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add olive oil and hot water. Stir with a spoon until it forms a soft, non-sticky dough (takes less than 1 minute).
- Knead lightly on a floured surface for 20–30 seconds until smooth. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (356 °F) fan / 200 °C conventional.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval or rectangle slightly larger than your pan (about 2–3 mm thick).
- Transfer the cooled beef-vegetable mixture into an oven-safe skillet or baking dish (28–30 cm diameter).
- Carefully lay the rolled dough over the filling. Tuck the edges down around the sides like a blanket.
- Brush generously with egg yolk mixed with a little water. Sprinkle sesame or nigella seeds all over.
- Bake on the middle rack for 28–30 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crispy.
Serve
- Let rest 5 minutes, then slice like a pie. Serve hot with yogurt, fresh salad, or simply on its own.
The hot-water olive oil dough is incredibly flaky and stays crispy even on top of the juicy filling – no soggy bottom ever! It tastes even better the next day.
