Tender boneless lamb over broth-moistened pide pieces on a copper platter, finished with black pepper.

Last updated: 26 October 2026

Lamb over Pide

Name: Lamb over Pide
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 14 h 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 2 lb Bone-in lamb neck, in large pieces; 1 ½ qt Water, plus hot water for topping up if needed; 6 oz Onion, peeled; 10 oz Plain pide; 4 g Table salt; 1 g Freshly ground black pepper

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Banak

Tender lamb and its hot broth served over pieces of firm pide, finished with black pepper.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Rest: 12 hr
Total: 14 hr 45 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 lb Bone-in lamb neck, in large pieces
1 ½ qt Water, plus hot water for topping up if needed
6 oz Onion, peeled
10 oz Plain pide
4 g Table salt
1 g Freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

Use a covered 4-quart pot, a skimmer, fine strainer, tongs, a measuring jug and a wide serving platter.

Method

Use plain pide baked at least 12 hours ahead. Let it cool fully and stand until firm. Do not use damp or moldy bread. Before serving, cut it into 1¼–1½-inch pieces. Keep it separate from the broth until serving.
Place the bone-in lamb pieces in the pot. Add the peeled onion, whole if small or halved if large, and the water. The water should just cover the meat; add more if necessary.
Bring toward a boil over medium-high heat and skim off the foam. Add the table salt, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently.
Start checking the lamb after 2 hours. Plan for 150 minutes of cooking, continuing until a fork enters easily and the meat separates readily from the bone. Top up with hot water if needed so the pot does not dry out.
Lift the tender meat out with tongs. When cool enough to handle, remove the bones with tongs and a fork, keeping large pieces, and check carefully for small bone fragments. Strain the cooking liquid, separate the onions and skim off excess fat. Keep the meat moist with a little broth. Taste the strained broth and adjust the salt before moistening the pide. Proceed to serving promptly.
Arrange the pide pieces in one layer on a wide serving platter. Pour 200 ml hot, strained broth evenly over them and check the texture after 30 seconds. Add 25–50 ml at a time to moisten any firm, dry areas. Use 200–350 ml in total as a starting guide; you may not need it all. Stop if liquid begins to pool. The bread pieces should remain distinct.
Distribute the hot lamb over the moistened pide. Sprinkle with the black pepper and serve immediately.