Potato Flatbread: Velibah / Aloo Paratha

Tempting flatbread filled with a good size ball of delicious potato filling. It’s called “Velibah” in Turkish but it’s known as a Circassian Borek type. It is very easy to make, no oven needed. We are going to cook it on a griddle or pan. Enjoy it with your breakfast, lunch, or any time of the day!

Ingredients For Potato Flatbread

• For the dough:
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp each sugar, salt
• Close to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• For the Potato filling:
• 500gr. potatoes (peeled, washed, cut in cubes, and cook in water until soft)
• 1 big size onion
• 5 tbsp or more olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2 tbsp pepper paste (optional)
• 1/2 tsp each salt, red pepper flakes, paprika, black pepper (if you like you can add dried mint too)
• More butter or oil to cook

How To Make Potato Filled Flatbread

The Yeast Dough:

• In a big bowl add lukewarm water, sugar, double-acting yeast, close to 3 cups flour. Add the salt over the flour and begin to knead. Make a smooth unstick elastic dough adding more flour if needed.
• Turn the dough into a ball. Cover and let it rise until almost doubled.

The Potato Filling:

1. Peel, wash, dice potatoes in big chunks. Cook in water until soft.
2. In a medium-size pan sauté diced onion in olive oil. Add red pepper paste if using. Continue to stir for 1 minute.
3. Add potatoes, spices, salt, and mash with a potato masher until everything is mixed and turned into a pure. turn off the heat and let it cool. Make orange size balls from cooled potato mixture. It yields about 10 balls.

Asembling:

1. Take the dough into a lightly dusted countertop. Cut into 10 pieces and shape into balls.
   
2. Roll out the dough piece for about 15cm or until the potato ball can fit. Place the potato filling and close from the sides to the top and seal. Shape it into a disk. Continue to do the same steps to other pieces.
   
3. Roll out the disks filled with potatoes in about 1/2 cm thick and cook on a preheated griddle or pan. After cooking the one side for about a minute turn it over and brush or spread butter and continue to cook until both sides are a nice golden color, flipping over from time to time.
4. Enjoy while it is still warm with ayran (yogurt drink) or tea. You can serve slices of tomato cucumbers, olives, and white cheese with it or enjoy it with salad or main dish