Peynirli Poğaça (Turkish Cheese Buns)

Method

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1. 1Whisk the warm milk, oil, yogurt, egg white, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Keep the egg yolk in a small bowl in the fridge.
2. 2Add the flour gradually and knead. Stop when the dough is soft like an earlobe and no longer sticks to your hands (usually about 500 g is enough); a stiff dough makes hard buns.
3. 3Cover and leave in a warm place for 45-60 minutes until doubled. Meanwhile, mix the cheese with the herbs.
4. 4Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Flatten each in your palm, put 1 tsp of filling in the middle, pinch the edges closed and shape into a half-moon or a round.
5. 5Arrange on a lined baking tray with space between them, cover and leave to rise for another 15-20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
6. 6Beat the egg yolk with the 1 tbsp milk, brush it over the buns and sprinkle with nigella or sesame seeds.
7. 7Bake at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes until deep golden on top and lightly browned underneath. Cover with a clean towel as they cool to keep them extra soft.