Maun Plain Poğaça – 8 Pieces

Maun plain poğaça are soft, round savoury buns made in the style you find in many neighbourhood bakeries in Turkey. They are sold baked and frozen, so you reheat them in the oven at home and get warm poğaça with very little effort.

What poğaça is

Poğaça is a small enriched bun, usually made with flour, milk or yoghurt, butter or oil, and a little yeast or baking powder. The crumb is tender and slightly crumbly, closer to a scone than to a bread roll, and the top is often brushed with egg before baking. A plain version leaves out the cheese, potato or olive fillings, which makes it easy to pair with almost anything on the table.

As a Turkish breakfast pastry, it is eaten with white cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumber and plenty of tea. Many people also pick up a bag on the way to work or school, and they are a common sight on Turkish bakery counters from early morning.

Recipes differ from region to region and from one baker to the next. Some are made with a soft dough that is almost like cake, others use more butter and bake up flakier. A plain bun like this one suits both a savoury breakfast and an afternoon snack with tea, because there is no filling to decide the mood for you.

Reheating from frozen

Robin Food's product note says these are supplied baked and frozen, and should be warmed in the oven without being refrozen. The pack gives the temperature and time to use. In general, plain poğaça come out best when heated until the outside is warm and slightly crisp and the middle is soft again.

• Take out only as many as you plan to eat.
• Heat them on a tray in the oven rather than in the microwave, which can make the crumb chewy.
• Eat them while they are still warm.

If you are heating a batch for guests, warm them in two rounds so the first tray does not go cold while the second is in the oven. A clean tea towel over the basket keeps them warm on the table for a while longer.

Ways to serve plain poğaça

Split and filled

Cut one in half and add a slice of kaşar cheese, a little butter or a spoonful of jam. The soft crumb soaks up melted butter well, and a plain bun gives you a blank canvas for sweet or savoury toppings.

With soup

Poğaça goes well beside a bowl of lentil soup or tarhana in the evening, in place of bread. Children often like them in a lunchbox with a few cubes of cheese and some grapes.

How much to buy

The current pack size is shown in the product name above. Families who eat them several times a week often keep two packs in the freezer, since they last well there as long as the bag is sealed after opening.

Check the label for full ingredients and allergens. Bakery products of this type usually contain wheat gluten and milk, and some contain egg or sesame.

Order Maun poğaça online

Robin Food delivers across the UK, with same-day delivery available in many London areas. If you like plain poğaça, try Maun Cheese Poğaça and Maun Plain Açma as well, and complete the breakfast with Sultanbacı Strawberry Jam.