Pide - Turkish seeded flat bread

Method

1. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar into 100ml of the slightly tepid water in a bowl. Leave for 5 minutes, then stir to dissolve, add the olive oil.

2. Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the liquid. Add enough of the remaining water to make a firm but softish dough.

3. Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff initially but it will become more supple as it is kneaded.

4. Coat the dough evenly with a little olive oil. Allow to rise in a bowl, covered with a tea towel, until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Knock back, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.

5. Divide the dough into two equal-sized pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece into a round 25cm across, and 5mm thick. Transfer to a baking tray, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for another 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

7. Score the top of each round of dough with a criss-cross pattern. To make the egg wash, whisk the egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle each round of dough with nigella seeds, and brush with egg wash.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until puffy and lightly coloured. Wrap the breads immediately in a tea towel to keep the crusts soft and to prevent drying out.