I made Poğaça!

This week is International week for the lower school at Oasis. In K-5 we study all the countries we come from, and we start with Turkey since we all live in Turkey. Last  year I had a Turkish student in my class, so she brought some Turkish food for us to try (students bring in food from their country on the day we study that country). This year I do not have any students from Turkey, so I told the kids I would make something Turkish for them to try. I should have just said nothing because they would never have realized we were missing food, but now they will never forget that I told them I would bring food. Anyway, I was telling my Turkish teacher about this on Tuesday at my lesson because she always loves to talk about Turkey. I explained that I had no idea what to make and asked if she had any suggestions. The next thing I know she is telling me she will be at my house at 7:00 AM to make poğaça (pronounced poacha) with me. I was very happy she wanted to cook with me, but my kids are not worth waking up that early on a Saturday. She finally agreed 9:00 AM would work well for her, so she came over yesterday morning at 9.
I was a bit nervous because she has never been to my house and I have always heard you better get it right with a Turkish guest at your house (and I will be perfectly honest in saying I am a terrible hostess at best). Anyway, I made sure I had çay at hand, pastries at hand, and coffee at hand. Thankfully it was early, so she wanted coffee and that is something I know how to get right :). Anyway, it was a fun morning with lots of laughs. Of course I did not have any of the right pans, so she had to make frequent runs down to her apartment (thankfully she lives in the same building). I also forgot the parsley, but she promised me it would be ok. And we did have one full tray of poğaça land on the floor while the wrong pan burned my teacher's fingers. I felt really bad about that because I knew the pan was not good for what we were making, but thankfully I also burned myself so we were even. We finally got the poğaças finished, and my kids better like them or else.
Here are a few pictures of the process:

The dough. 

 My teacher demonstrating the perfect way to roll out the dough.

 We are now putting the cheese in the middle.

 

Before the oven.

After the oven.

Notice the crumbled aluminum foil...this is the batch that fell to the floor...but we saved them all (do not tell the kids :)).

I also want to give my Mom a big shout out on this Mother's day. I wish I could be making something with you today (and that is my gift to you...that I am not there to make something with you:)). But I do really miss you and wish I could be there to celebrate you. I hope you have a wonderful day, and we will see you so very soon. Also, we want to wish Bo's Mom a happy Mother's Day. We are so thankful for you and everything you do for us. We love you and cannot wait to be home in one very short month.

lots of love,

K and B