Peinirli are Greece’s cheese boats: soft yeasted dough shaped into open vessels, loaded with molten kasseri or mozzarella and feta, edges crisped, center gloriously gooey. Greek-Ottoman heritage on full display — the dish sailed over with Black Sea Greeks and never left.
The boat shape is functional genius: crisp rolled edges to hold, a molten center to conquer — with ham, sausage, mushrooms, or the full traditional finish of a raw egg cracked on top for the final minutes of baking.
The yogurt in the dough is the softness secret. Build four boats, set out the toppings, and let everyone rig their own — peinirli night beats pizza night, and I say that with love for both.
Peinirli Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour rising) · Cook time: 20 minutes · Total: about 1 hour 40 minutes · Servings: 8 · Calories: ~187 per serving
Ingredients
- For the dough:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 packet (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- For the filling:
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella or kasseri
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Optional: sliced ham or salami, sautéed mushrooms, or a raw egg per boat
Instructions
- Mix the warm water, sugar and yeast and let it foam, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Combine the flour and salt, add the yeast mixture, olive oil and yogurt, and mix into a dough.
- Knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then rise, covered, about 1 hour, until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll each into an 8×4-inch oval.
- Fold and pinch the edges into boat shapes, leaving the centers open.
- Butter the centers, fill with the cheeses and any toppings.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until golden with bubbling cheese — crack an egg into each boat for the last 5 minutes for the classic finish.
- Cool briefly and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
- Kasseri from a Greek market is the authentic melt; mozzarella-plus-feta is a faithful understudy.
- Twist the two ends of each boat in opposite directions slightly — the traditional shape locks better.
- Leftover boats reheat shockingly well in a hot oven.
