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Peinirli – Greek Boat Shaped Pizza

September 10, 2023 by Lucy Parissi 15 Comments

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Greek Peinirli (or Peynirli / πεϊνιρλί) is a small boat-shaped pizza. Usually filled with cheese or a variety of toppings, it is easy to make and absolutely delicious! Fill with your favourite ingredients and enjoy.

Take a look at our my Greek Recipes here!

Post may contain affiliate links. For more information, check my disclosure

two Peinirli on a baking tray

WHAT IS PEINIRLI?

Peinirli (πεϊνιρλί) is a traditional Greek recipe that was brought to Greece by the immigrants from the Black Sea almost 100 years ago. The name derives from the Turkish word peynirli, meaning ‘with cheese’.

This little pizza boat is actually more similar to Turkish pide and Georgian khachapuri. Unlike Italian pizza, it doesn’t usually contain any tomato sauce.

The cheese filling is usually kasseri (a semi-hard, salty Greek cheese) but these days you will find peinirli with all kinds of fillings and optional toppings such as bacon, meat or eggs.

Greek pizza boats, one sliced in half close up, side view

PEINIRLI INGREDIENTS

This is my version of Peinirli, using pasta flour and Greek yogurt, which keeps the dough very light. Here’s what you will need:

  • Flour: I prefer using pasta flour (also known as 00 flour) which is very finely milled and creates a lovely crisp base.
  • Salt and a little sugar
  • Instant yeast (also known as rapid rise)
  • Olive oil and water
  • Greek yogurt (I used Fage 5%)
greek pizza boats with cheese and prosciutto

HOW TO MAKE PEINIRLI

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

PREPARE THE DOUGH

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir well.

Add the oil, water and yogurt and mix together with a dough hook or you can also use your stand mixer. The dough will be shaggy and a bit dry. Cover with a towel and leave for 10 minutes to rest.

mixing dough for Greek peinirli pizza boats

Use your hands to gently knead the dough so that the ingredients are well incorporated. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm spot in your kitchen to rise until doubled.

ROLL OUT AND SHAPE THE PEINIRLI

Divide the dough into four portions, keeping any you are not using straight away covered. Roll out into an oval shape and sprinkle with cheese. Season with garlic powder and mixed herbs.

rolling out dough for peinirli

Add any remaining toppings (bacon and green peppers pictured below). Fold the edges inwards to encase the fillings, pressing down firmly so the dough sticks.

How to fold dough for peinirli

Pinch the edges of the dough to create the boat shape that Peinirli is known for. Brush the dough edges with egg wash.

Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly before serving and enjoy as a snack, appetizer or light lunch.

RECIPE NOTES

  • A word of caution! When these babies come out of the oven do not be tempted to bite into them until they have cooled down for a few minutes. The melted cheese hides a molten lava center and you might want to avoid 3rd degree burns! I speak from bitter experience.
  • Adding an egg topping: bake the peinirli for around 10 minutes. Use a spoon to make an indent into the filling and add a raw egg in the middle of the bread. Return to the oven and bake for a further 3-5 minutes or until the egg whites have started to set. The egg will continue to cook as the bread cools.
Peinirli filled with cheese, bacon and an egg

HAVE YOU MADE MY PEINIRLI RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram with @supergolden88 and the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day! I have also just launched my TikTok channel and would love to meet you there.

Two Greek Peinirli pizza boats on a wooden board

Peinirli – Greek Pizza Boats

Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
Greek Peinirli (or Peynirli / πεϊνιρλί) is a small boat-shaped pizza. Usually filled with cheese or a variety of toppings, it is easy to make and absolutely delicious! Fill with your favourite ingredients and enjoy!
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Course: Appetizer / Party food
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Peinirli
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Rising time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 387kcal
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 260 g (2 cups) pasta flour or bread flour
  • 100 g (scant ½ cup) Greek yogurt
  • 120 ml (½ cup) tepid water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 egg , lightly beaten to brush on

Cheese Filling

  • 300 g (10 ½ oz) grated cheese a mix of shredded mozzarella and cheddar
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • drizzle olive oil

Optional Toppings

  • pancetta, bacon, ham etc
  • sliced peppers
  • cherry tomatoes

Instructions

Prepare the dough

  • Combine the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl.
    260 g (2 cups) pasta flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp active dry yeast
  • Add the yogurt, oil and water and mix together using a wooden spoon or a dough hook. You will have a shaggy dough. Leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
    100 g (scant ½ cup) Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp olive oil, 120 ml (½ cup) tepid water
  • Oil your hands then mix the dough until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Heavy kneading is not required – just fold the dough together a few times in the bowl.
  • Mist the dough with olive oil, cover with a clean tea towel and leave for an hour to rise until almost doubled.
    mixing dough for Greek peinirli pizza boats

Shape and bake

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C | 400°F (or 15 degrees lower if using fan forced). Lightly flour your work surface and gently knead the dough to knock the air out. Roll into a long log shape then cut into four equal pieces.
  • Flatten one of the pieces into a disk then roll out to an oval shape using a floured rolling pin.
    rolling out dough for peinirli
  • Sprinkle with the cheese, allowing a small border all around. Fol the edges inwards to encase the filling. Sprinkle with some of the garlic powder and herbs and drizzle with a little oil.
    How to fold dough for peinirli
  • Add any optional toppings and pinch the edges to create the boat shape. Brush the dough with egg wash.
    How to fold dough for peinirli
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the dough is golden and the cheese melted and bubbling. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
    Peinirli filled with cheese, bacon and an egg

Video

Notes

* Adding an egg? Place it on top of the pizza boat after it has been partially baked for 10 minutes and bake until the egg whites are almost set (they will continue to set in the residual heat).
* Use a variety of cheese fillings such as edam, gouda, feta, cheddar or block mozzarella, crumbled.

Nutritional Info

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 414IU | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

  1. Felicity Kelly says

    September 21, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    These look so delicious, I love the pizza spin!!!

    Reply
  2. Maggie Ali says

    August 03, 2014 at 10:07 am

    looks yummy. love the shape, it'd be nice to involve kids in making their own "boat" pizzas and put their own topping on 🙂 whatever they make themselves always taste better than when mammy makes it 😀

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    July 22, 2014 at 5:58 pm

    These look so simple and delicious

    @jaizduck

    Reply
  4. Caroline Clarke says

    May 24, 2014 at 7:11 am

    Wow! Just wow! I love the photos showing how to shape it and the recipe for the dough and the topping… this is just brilliant! Your recipes are a gold mine!

    Reply
  5. prwilson says

    May 08, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    Interesting idea. Good variation over pizzas.

    Reply
  6. Peter Block says

    December 20, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    I love the merging of the Greek & Italian in this recipe. the pic looks great. I featured it on my Friday Five – Flatbread & Pizza addition over @ Feed Your Soul Too – http://www.feedyoursoul2.com/2013/12/friday-five-flatbreads-pizza.html

    Reply
  7. Jane Dale-Beaumont says

    September 27, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    could you use any other type of flour?

    Reply
    • Lucy Parissi says

      September 27, 2013 at 8:08 pm

      Yes you can use strong bread flour. Even plain flour would probably work. The pasta flour gives a more delicate texture.

      Reply
  8. Tina Jui says

    September 17, 2013 at 8:46 pm

    Amazing that there is greek yoghurt in that! I love your pan, btw. Where did you find it? Beautiful!

    Reply
    • supergoldenbakes says

      September 17, 2013 at 8:52 pm

      Yoghurt works really well in dough. Makes it easy to work with and very light. The pan is from ebay – look for vintage Ovenex : )

      Reply
  9. ontopofspag says

    September 11, 2013 at 11:52 am

    Roquefort and caramelised onion chutney?? Oh my. That definitely beats the common ham and cheese version!! Gorgeous!
    Eleni @ On Top Of Spaghetti

    Reply
  10. Janine says

    September 10, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    I'm definitely going to try these! They look delicious, and are gorgeously presented.

    Reply
  11. supergoldenbakes says

    September 10, 2013 at 9:09 am

    These are so dangerous. They are small and very light and before you blink you have eaten one and craving a second! You should see their size in Greece – bigger than a dinner plate. I am excited to try new flavour combinations – thinking feta or goat cheese with spinach and an egg on top…

    Reply
  12. underthebluegumtree says

    September 10, 2013 at 9:06 am

    I've never heard of peinirli but these look incredibly tasty. I could demolish one for lunch right now!

    Reply
  13. Kat BakingExplorer says

    September 09, 2013 at 10:55 pm

    Wow these look so yummy!

    Reply

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Picture of Lucy ParissiHi, I am Lucy Parissi, the recipe developer, food  photographer and author behind Supergolden Bakes. If you are looking for easy sweet and savoury recipes that are packed with flavour you have come to the right place!  READ MORE

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