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20 Delicious Turkish Foods Everyone Must Try
1- Menemen
This traditional Turkish breakfast item is scrambled eggs cooked in sautéed vegetables and served hot with bread. Dip it, spread it, or spoon it up.
Why this recipes works:
We don't do much to improve on this classic—the key is to coo the eggs very gently, removing them from the heat well before cook they finish cooking so they can continue to cook on the way to the table.
The proper Turkish peppers are difficult to find, but either shishito, padrón, or Chinese long green peppers work nicely.
Note: If you have access to Aleppo or Urfa chilies, you can use them in place of the paprika for a more authentic flavor. Chives are not traditional to the dish, but I often like to add them because eggs and chives were made for each other; you can opt to include or omit them.
Menemen (Turkish-Style Scrambled Eggs With Tomatoes, Onions, and Chilies)
About This Recipe
| YIELD: | Serves 2 |
| ACTIVE TIME: | 20 minutes |
| TOTAL TIME: | 20 minutes |
| THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN: | How to Make Menemen, the Turkish-Style Scrambled Eggs That Haunt My Dreams |
| RATED: |
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika (see note above)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
1 small onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup finely diced shishito, padrón, or Chinese green long pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh ripe peeled tomatoes or drained canned tomatoes
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Minced fresh chives, for garnish (optional; see note above)
Procedures
1.1
In a medium non-stick or cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over low heat until barely warm. Add paprika, oregano, onion, and peppers. Season with salt and a very generous amount of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until deepened in color. Remove half of mixture and reserve.
2.2
Return pan to heat and add eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until just barely set. Immediately remove from heat and gently fold in reserved vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with chives, if using, and serve immediately.
2- Kofte
A Turkish staple, köfte is balls or patties of ground beef or lamb, and can be served stewed, in sandwiches, over salads, or plain with yogurt
Turkish kofte come in all shapes, sizes, and degrees of spiciness - from kadin budu (literally “ladies thighs”), coated in egg then fried, to Adana kofte, fiery morsels from the south east of Turkey. You can have them extra saucy in a lip-smacking casserole, by the name of Izmir kofte, or eat them totally raw, made with the finest lean beef, mixed with bulgur wheat and spices.
Here, we’re focusing on the basic and many would say best – pure, straightforward meatballs. They’re great on the grill, beautiful on the barbie, but for pure ease, here they are fried.
Ingredients (serves 6)
750 grams minced meat (lamb/mutton or beef, a mixture works well)
2 small onions, finely chopped or grated
2 slices of dry bread (without the crust)
1 whole egg
1 bunch of parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt
2 small onions, finely chopped or grated
2 slices of dry bread (without the crust)
1 whole egg
1 bunch of parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt
Preparation
Fat for cooking (we recommend butter/ghee (not margarine), mixed with olive oil). Needless to say butter helps bring out the flavour. They don’t need to be deep fat fried, but do make sure there is plenty in the pan to allow the meatballs to sizzle!
Soak the slices of bread in water, until they’re properly sopping. Squeeze out excess water, and crumble the bread over the meat in a big bowl. (The bread can be omitted if you wish to avoid it). Then add in all the other ingredients, and knead well.
Scoop up egg sized pieces of the mixture, and roll them in your hand to shape them into short stubby fingers. Fry on a medium heat until nicely brown.
Serve hot with fresh bread, raw onions, salad and chillies. Rice goes down well as an accompaniment. Chilli sauce adds a touch of pazzazz, or tomato ketchup if you want to add a western touch. A blob of yoghurt on the side makes for an extra cool, refreshing dimension, or you could take this a step further and wash the meatballs down with ayran, the traditional Turkish drink, made of yoghurt, water, and salt (not unlike the Indian lassi)
Köfte are still scrummy gobbled up cold the next day, and so make perfect picnic fare.
3- Mantı
Mantı might remind you of ravioli at first sight, but the traditional Turkish dish is completely unique in taste and texture. Small beef or lamb dumplings are boiled or fried and served with yogurt or butter, and often accompanied with a range of spices.
INGREDIENTS:
for the filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground lean lamb
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
for the pasta
2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup water plus a little more if necessary
for the yogurt sauce
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (preferably made from sheep's milk)
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
for the butter sauce
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon fine quality sweet paprika
coarse salt to taste
4 dashes of hot red pepper sauce, or more to taste
shredded fresh mint leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground lean lamb
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper to taste
for the pasta
2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup water plus a little more if necessary
for the yogurt sauce
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (preferably made from sheep's milk)
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
for the butter sauce
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon fine quality sweet paprika
coarse salt to taste
4 dashes of hot red pepper sauce, or more to taste
shredded fresh mint leaves for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
1. Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lamb and the parsley, and cook, stirring and breaking up any lumps, until the lamb changes color. Remove from heat and generously season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Make the pasta: Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. Make a well in the center, and a place the egg and 1/2 cup water in the well. Work the dough with your hands or a wooden spoon into a smooth dough. (You might find that you will need more water if you are rolling the pasta by hand and less if you are using a hand-turned pasta machine.) Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a towel and let rest for 1 hour. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to 1/4 inch thick with a rolling pin or a pasta machine, and cut into 3-inch squares, discarding the uneven edges. Place 2 teaspoons filling into the center of each square. Moisten the entire outer edge with water, bring the 4 corners together in the center and pinch tightly to seal, then pinch together the 4 straight edges to seal completely (take care with this step, sealing the dumplings thoroughly will insure that they will not become unsealed in the water and lose the filling). Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Place the manti on a lightly Floured baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Make the yogurt sauce: Drain the yogurt at room temperature through a very Fine mesh strainer over a bowl for 30 minutes and discard the whey. Stir together the yogurt and garlic in a bowl and let stand at warm room temperature until ready to use.
4. Make the butter sauce: In a small skillet over moderate heat cook the butter until it is a very light brown, remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the paprika, coarse salt to taste, and the hot red pepper sauce.
5. In a large kettle of boiling salted water cook the manti, in batches, stirring to keep them from sticking together, about 7 minutes, or until the pressed together edges are al dente (they will take the longest to cook). Remove them when done with a long 1/4-handled sieve or a large slotted spoon and keep warm with a little of the warm cooking liquid. Serve the manti very hot in individual bowls, spoon some of the yogurt sauce over, drizzle with the butter sauce, and garnish with mint leaves. Pass the remaining yogurt sauce at the table.
2. Make the pasta: Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl. Make a well in the center, and a place the egg and 1/2 cup water in the well. Work the dough with your hands or a wooden spoon into a smooth dough. (You might find that you will need more water if you are rolling the pasta by hand and less if you are using a hand-turned pasta machine.) Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a towel and let rest for 1 hour. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to 1/4 inch thick with a rolling pin or a pasta machine, and cut into 3-inch squares, discarding the uneven edges. Place 2 teaspoons filling into the center of each square. Moisten the entire outer edge with water, bring the 4 corners together in the center and pinch tightly to seal, then pinch together the 4 straight edges to seal completely (take care with this step, sealing the dumplings thoroughly will insure that they will not become unsealed in the water and lose the filling). Repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Place the manti on a lightly Floured baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Make the yogurt sauce: Drain the yogurt at room temperature through a very Fine mesh strainer over a bowl for 30 minutes and discard the whey. Stir together the yogurt and garlic in a bowl and let stand at warm room temperature until ready to use.
4. Make the butter sauce: In a small skillet over moderate heat cook the butter until it is a very light brown, remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the paprika, coarse salt to taste, and the hot red pepper sauce.
5. In a large kettle of boiling salted water cook the manti, in batches, stirring to keep them from sticking together, about 7 minutes, or until the pressed together edges are al dente (they will take the longest to cook). Remove them when done with a long 1/4-handled sieve or a large slotted spoon and keep warm with a little of the warm cooking liquid. Serve the manti very hot in individual bowls, spoon some of the yogurt sauce over, drizzle with the butter sauce, and garnish with mint leaves. Pass the remaining yogurt sauce at the table.
This quintessential Turkish combination features lamb-stuffed pillows of fresh pasta that are drizzled with two sauces: a garlicky one made from yogurt, and a spicy one made with butter, paprika, and hot pepper. The whole is topped with fresh mint, and is unbelievably delicious. This type of Turkish ravioli originated in Mongolia. Manti was eaten at the Ottoman court and has been popular throughout Anatolia ever since; the city Kayseri is especially famous for them. Dean & DeLuca carries a lovely sheep's milk yogurt from Hollow Road Farms in Stuyvesant, New York, which is perfect in this dish. Preceded by Middle Eastern salads and followed by grilled Fish with olive oil, manti would be the centerpiece of a spectacular dinner party. Serves 4 as a first course
4- Kuzu Tandır
The meat for this popular lamb dish is traditionally hung and slow roasted whole, and it often served with rice or potatoes, and yogurt.
INGREDIENTS
1 leg of lamb (drumstick and thigh portions)
¼ cup olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
4-5 bay leaves
2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs
½ cup hot water
PREPARATION
1.When you buy your leg of lamb, ask your butcher to clean off as much excess fat as possible. Then, have the leg separated into three pieces at the joints.
2.Preheat your oven to 285° F /140° C. Place the lamb in a shallow, metal oven roasting tray. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and spices. Pour the mixture over the lamb.
3.Wearing rubber gloves, rub the mixture all over the lamb, massaging it into the meat for several minutes. Add the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs. Place the tray in the oven uncovered.
4.Let the lamb cook slowly at this low temperate for about 1 ½ hours. You'll see that the meat will release its fat and juices, then reabsorb them as it cooks. After the first 30 minutes, turn the pieces of lamb over. Repeat this two more times during the cooking process.
5.When 1 ½ hours have passed and you have turned the meat three times, pour the ½ cup of hot water over the meat, then close the roasting pan completely with aluminum foil. Turn up the oven temperature to 365° F /185° C and leave the meat to roast for a least one hour more.
6.After about one hour, remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for five minutes. Remove the foil. The meat should be very tender and falling cleanly off the bones. Using two forks, remove all the meat from the bones and discard them. Also remove the bay leaves and rosemary.
7.Your 'kuzu tandır' is ready to serve. Serve it with piping hot Turkish-style rice pilaf with orzo or with Turkish-style potato puree.
5- LAHMACUN
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
1 x 7 gyeast sachet
1egg
80 ml(⅓ cup) olive oil
300 g(2 cups) plain flour, sifted, plus extra, to dust
1 tspcaster sugar
Spicy lamb topping
60 ml(¼ cup) olive oil
6garlic cloves, chopped
6truss tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsptomato paste
3 tspsumac (see Note)
1 tsppaprika
1 tspdried chilli flakes
400 gminced lamb
70 g(¼ cup) tahini
½lemon, juiced
50 g(⅓ cup) pine nuts, toasted
2 tbspchopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
Standing time2 hrs 10 minsCooling time30 mins
Dissolve yeast in 80 ml warm water in a bowl. Stand in a warm, draught-free place for 10 minutes or until mixture bubbles.
Whisk egg and olive oil in a small bowl. Place flour, sugar and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Make a well in centre and add egg and yeast mixtures. Knead on low speed until a dough forms, then knead for 6 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, divide into 4 equal balls and roll out to form 22 cm ovals. Place on 4 trays lined with baking paper, cover with damp tea towels and set aside for 1 hour or until slightly risen.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Meanwhile, to make the topping, heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook, pressing down on tomatoes, for 15 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced. Add tomato paste, sumac, paprika and chilli, and season with salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. Combine with minced lamb and season with salt and pepper.
Brush dough rounds with remaining 1 tbsp oil, then spread over lamb topping. Working in batches, if necessary, bake pizzas for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Whisk tahini and lemon juice in a bowl to combine, and season. Drizzle pizzas with tahini mixture, then scatter with pine nuts and parsley. Serve immediately.
Note• Sumac is a tangy reddish-brown Middle Eastern spice, available from supermarkets.
6 - Borek
Turkish savoury pastry comes in many varieties, most popularly filled with minced meat or spinach and cheese. Börek can be rolled, served as puffs, or layered like lasagna, and served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack. Anyway you have it, börek is always flaky and delicious.
Ingredients
1 packet filo pastry (14-15 sheets). Remove filo from the fridge two hours before you use it.
3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
sesame or nigella seeds to sprinkle
For cheese borek filling
200g feta cheese, crumbled
200g firm mozzarella, grated
1 bunch dill or parsley, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
For spinach borek filling
2 bunches of English spinach, washed or 1 packet of frozen spinach, defrosted
1 onion, chopped, or 4-5 spring onions, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
200g feta cheese, crumbled
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For meat borek filling
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
500g minced lamb, veal or beef
1/2 tsp allspice or sweet paprika
2 tbsp chopped parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
For cheese borek filling: Combine all the ingredients. Other cheeses could be included such as cottage, haloumi, edam, gouda or cheddar. Add a cooked mashed potato to the filling as a variation.
For spinach borek filling: Wilt the spinach and squeeze out the moisture, and then roughly chop. Fry the onion in olive oil and combine with the spinach, feta and pepper. You could also add half a bunch of chopped dill.
For meat borek filling: Fry the onion in the olive oil until softened. Add the meat and stir-fry until cooked. Add the allspice or paprika, salt, pepper and parsley.
The pie
You will need a 30cm x 25cm, or thereabouts, shallow baking pan. Brush it with olive oil. Prepare the filling of your choice. Mix the egg, milk, olive oil and seasoning together to spread between the layers of filo.
To assemble the pie
Open the packet of filo, carefully unroll and take out 14 or 15 sheets. Cover them with a dry tea towel and then with a damp tea towel. Keep the filo covered as you work to stop it becoming dry and brittle. Roll up the remaining pastry and return to the fridge.
Lay two sheets of filo sideways and slightly overlapping in the baking dish so that it hangs over all sides. Slosh about a tablespoon or small ladle full of the egg, milk and oil mixture over the filo and spread it around with the back of the spoon or a pastry brush.
Work quickly and add another six sheets of filo inside the tray adding the milk and egg mixture between each and spreading it as you go. Don't worry about creases and folds as they won't show. Now spread the filling evenly over the filo layers.
Layer the remaining six or seven filo sheets in the tray over the filling, adding the egg mixture between them as before.
Finally fold in the overhanging pieces of filo to encase the boregi. Tip the last of the egg and milk mixture over the top and sprinkle with sesame seeds or nigella seeds.
To bake the pie
Preheat the oven to 180C fan, 200C regular. Bake the tepsi boregi for 30 minutes until puffed up and golden. Let it sit for five or 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and serve with a tomato and cucumber salad. The boregi reheats well and can even taste better then.
To serve
Tepsi boregi can be eaten as mezze, for a light meal, or as a snack at any time. Serve with a simple shepherd's salad of tomato, cucumber, onion and parsley, dressed with equal parts of lemon juice and olive oil. Season and garnish the salad with radishes, green pepper or pomegranate arils.
7-BAKLAVA
Baklava is one of those desserts that has a reputation for difficulty, but is actually surprisingly easy to make. I suspect this is because working with phyllo dough always seems tricky, but if you follow a few very simple tips, it's really not — and the results are addictive. Read on for how to make a pan of sticky, sweet, buttery, flaky, nutty baklava
Ingredients
8 ounces walnuts
8 ounces plus 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 package frozen phyllo sheets, thawed
8 ounces walnuts
8 ounces plus 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 package frozen phyllo sheets, thawed
For the syrup:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup honey
Equipment
Kitchen scale
Food processor
Measuring cups and spoons
Medium-sized bowl
Clean tea towel
Sharp knife or kitchen scissors
9"x12"x2" baking pan
Pastry brush
2-quart sauce pan
Kitchen scale
Food processor
Measuring cups and spoons
Medium-sized bowl
Clean tea towel
Sharp knife or kitchen scissors
9"x12"x2" baking pan
Pastry brush
2-quart sauce pan
Instructions
1.Prep the filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Measure out 8 ounces of walnuts and 8 ounces of pistachios using a kitchen scale and place in the bowl of a food processor (reserve the additional 1/4 cup of pistachios for garnish). Add the sugar and cinnamon. Pulse a few times to break up the nuts but do not chop them too fine or into a powder. Transfer to a bowl.
2.Melt the butter. Place the two sticks of butter into the sauce pan and melt under low heat. Keep an eye on things and turn off the burner when the sticks are nearly melted. The rest will melt from the residual heat of the pan.
3.Set up your assembly area. Clear off a large surface, such as your kitchen table or counter. Place the bowl of nut filling, the baking pan, the melted butter and the pastry brush on the surface, reserving a spot for the phyllo.
4.Set up the phyllo. Unwrap the phyllo sheets and carefully unroll onto the assembly surface, keeping the large sheet of plastic used to roll the sheets underneath. Dampen the tea towel (not too wet!) and lay it over the phyllo.
5.Trim the phyllo (optional). If the phyllo dough is too big for your baking pan, trim the phyllo sheets to match the dimensions of your pan. A scissors is the easiest way to do this.
6.Lay the bottom layer. Using the pastry brush, brush on a thin layer of butter all over the bottom of the baking pan. Fold back the tea towel, carefully remove one sheet of phyllo dough and place it on the bottom of the pan. Butter the top of the phyllo lightly, making sure you are going out all the way to the edges. Repeat with layering 6 more sheets to total 7 sheets of phyllo, buttering the top of each sheet of phyllo before placing the next. Be sure to re-cover the remaining phyllo with the tea towel each time you remove a sheet.
7.Add the first layer of nuts. Sprinkle half the nuts over the phyllo and spread them gently with your hand so that you have a fairly even layer. Be sure to spread them all the way to the edges.
8.Create another phyllo layer. Place a sheet of phyllo on top of the nuts and carefully brush with melted butter. Repeat, layering 4 more sheets in all, with butter between each layer.
9.Add the second layer of nuts. Sprinkle the remaining layer of nuts over the phyllo. Again, spread them into an even layer and push them all the way to the edges.
10.Lay the top layer. Pace a phyllo sheet on top of the nuts and brush lightly with butter. Repeat, layering 6 more sheets of phyllo, with butter between each layer, to total 7 sheets.
11.Cut the baklava. Using a very sharp knife, cut the baklava on the diagonal into approximately 28 pieces (can be more if you make smaller pieces).
12.Bake. Place the pan of baklava in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Check half way through and rotate the pan for even browning.
13.Chop the pistachios. While the baklava is baking, finely chop the remaining 1/4 cup of pistachios and set aside.
14.Remove the baklava from the oven and cool. When the phyllo is evenly golden brown all over, remove the pan from the oven and set on a rack to cool.
15.Make the syrup. While the baklava is cooling, make the syrup. Combine the sugar, water, and honey in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.
16.Re-cut the baklava. While the syrup is cooking, run your knife through the baklava to be sure the pieces are cut all the way through.
17.Pour on the syrup. When the syrup has boiled for 10 minutes, remove from the stove and carefully pour over the baklava, being sure to coat each piece.
18.Garnish and serve! Sprinkle some of the chopped pistachios on each of the baklava squares. Cover the baklava and let sit for several hours or overnight before serving. Will keep for up to 5 days, covered.
8-Pide (Turkish Pizza)
Here is a traditional Turkish dish to fill you up and bring a smile to your lips. It’s an absolutely classic staple in Turkey. This warming doughy concoction is about the closest you can get to a home grown Turkish equivalent of pizza.
You can find specialist pide restaurants in any town in Turkey. Just watching them make the pides is a real pleasure in itself and whets your appetite for what is to follow. The pide chef moves around his marble worktops, taking perfectly round little patties of dough, kneading them a wrestler, before dressing them with scrummy toppings and whisking them into wood fired ovens on the longest wooden spatula you’ve ever seen. It’s a hot and crackling spectacle.
The last time I was in Turkey I stood admiring the pideci’s art, with my 7 year old daughter Rebecca sitting on my shoulder, craning her neck to see deep inside the oven. We must have stood there for a full 15 minutes, rooted to the spot, watching as golden pides came flying out of the fire, one after another.
Don’t expect sophistication. Don’t expect delicate mezes and fine dining. Pide is cheap and cheerful. The perfect comfort food on a cold winter’s day, equally welcome as a hearty snack on a sunny summer’s day.
Below we suggest some traditional Turkish toppings, but as with Italian pizzas, once you have the base, you can of course add what you like. Feel free to create your own complex combination of flavours to startle your senses!
Ingredients: (makes approx four Pide bases)
2 teaspoons dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
150 ml water or milk
300 grams flour (approx)
1 teaspoon salt
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation:
First off, warm the water or milk. It must not be warmer than body temperature, otherwise the yeast dies. Just as you would with a bath, use a (clean) elbow to check the temperature if in doubt! Mix in the yeast and sugar. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the salt, then stir in the yeasty liquid, and add the olive oil.
Mix together until all the ingredients are well blended, then knead the dough for about 2 minutes (the more you knead, the more flexible the dough becomes). Put the dough back in the bowl and dust some flour lightly over the top. Then put a plastic bag over and around the bowl and leave it in a warm place (like an airing cupboard or boiler room) for around 20 minutes. The plastic bags stops the dough from drying out and aids the proving process.
Whilst the dough is proving, you can get started with your topping.
Once the dough has raised (it should be about 50 % larger than before), take it out and knead well to get rid of any air bubbles. You may have to add a little flour to stop it from sticking, but do use sparingly so that the dough remains nice and moist.
Cut the dough into four equal chunks and knead each of them well. This helps develop the arm muscles ready for your next bout of Turkish wrestling. Place one of the pieces on a lightly floured surface, and use a rolling pin (substitute a wine bottle - carefully - if you don’t have a rolling pin to hand) to roll it into an elongated oval.
Spread your desired filling on top of the pide, and crimp the edges up 1-2 centimetres, so your pide has a shape rather like a large stuffed aubergine/eggplant, or a flattened boat. Brush the sides and edges with olive oil, then bake for about 15 minutes at 250 degrees Celsius.
Meaty (kiymali) pides:
We love spicy, meaty pides. Normally they’re very simple, like this beef variation, which is also the basis for the very thin, round variety of pide in Turkey, known as lahmacun.
250 grams beef mince
1 peeled and diced tomato
1 onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 pepper (you could use a sweet one, or if you like it fiery, use a chilli pepper as well)
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, spread on top of your pide. Bake in the oven.
Lamb Pide
If you fancy trying something more exotic and unusual:
1 tbls olive oil
2 medium onions diced
125 grams minced lamb
125 grams finely diced lamb
150 ml red wine
2 small garlic cloves
2 tblsp cumin
2 tblsp paprika
Warm a saucepan and fry the onions until they are transparent. Add the mince and diced lamb and fry until all the meat is gently browned. Add the wine and enough water to cover the meat. Let the mixture cook for a good hour or more. Then add the garlic, cumin and paprika, and let the mixture cook for another 15 minutes or so. If any liquid remains, decant it off. Your topping is ready! Simply apply and bake in the oven.
Cheesy (peynirli) Pide
2 tablespoons oilve oil
1 onion, chopped
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic (crushed)
100 grams feta cheese (crumbled)
100 grams mozzarella cheese
Black olives
Fry onions in olive oil until transparent, add garlic and fry for a little longer. Add the tomatoes, and let the mixture cook until most of the juice has evaporated. Spread the sauce on the pide.
Throw on some black olives, some feta cheese, and some mozzarella. Add oregano and black pepper. Bake in the oven.
9- Gullac
A traditional dessert most often served during Ramadan, güllaç is a uniquely textured treat made from dough, milk, rosewater, nuts, and pomegranate seeds. You might find other fruit or chickpeas in some variations.
INGREDIENTS
20 leaves of dry ‘güllaç’
4 ½ cups whole milk
1 ½ cups sugar, more or less to taste
1 tsp. edible rose water or ½ tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups ground raw pistachio nuts
Fresh pomegranite seeds for garnish
1.Begin by putting the milk and sugar in a saucepan and stirring over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and let the milk simmer gently for about five minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the rosewater or vanilla, and leave it to cool down.
2.You can prepare your homemade 'güllaç' directly in its serving dish. Try to find a round , shallow glass bowl with a flat bottom and straight sides that's the same size as the sheets of 'güllaç.' This will make layering clean and easy.
3.If you don't have exactly the right serving dish, don't worry. If your 'güllaç' leaves don't fit in whole, start breaking them into smaller pieces and overlap them until you've covered the bottom of your dish.
4.With a spoon, drizzle the milk mixture over the first layer until it's saturated. Continue until you've made 10 layers and covered them each with milk.
5.On top of the 10th layer, spread most of the ground nuts evenly to cover the entire layer. Set about ¼ cup of the ground nuts aside.
6.After you've spread the nuts, continue with another 10 layers of 'güllaç' and sweet milk. If you have leftover milk, pour the rest evenly over the top. The 'güllaç' will absorb most of it.
7.Sprinkle the remaining ground nuts over the top, and do the same with the pomegranite seeds. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving. The 'güllaç' should be very soft and easy to cut through with a knife or spoon, but should still be quite milky. If you feel it's too dry, add a little more sweet milk and continue to refrigerate.
10- Meze
It’s common to havemeze, or a range of cold appetisers, with drinks or in place of a full meal. Dinner guests are provided with around 20 choices, bean dishes, salads, and spreads on small dishes to eat with bread.
11-DOLMA
INGREDIENTS
1 16-ounce jar grape leaves
2 T. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried basil
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grainwhite rice, such as basmati
1/2 cup raw pine nuts (optional)
8 cups vegetable broth, divided
2/3 cups fresh lemon juice, divided, plus more for drizzling
Water, as needed
1. Gently remove the grape leaves from their jar, then rinse each thoroughly under cold water, taking care not to rip the leaves. Pat the leaves dry and place on a cutting board. Using a small, sharp paring knife, remove the stems from the leaves. Cover with a paper towel and set aside.
2. Prepare the filling. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil, adding the onion, garlic, parsley, and basil once hot.Stir continuously until the onion is soft and fragrant, about 6 minutes. Add the rice and pine nuts and saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes longer. Add 4 cups of thevegetable broth, and bring to a low boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, adding water if necessary. Add half of thelemon juice, stirring well to combine, and cook for 2-3 minutes longer or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pan from heat.
3. Assemble the dolmas. Prepare a dry, clean workspace. Place one of the grape leaves, shiny side down, flat on your work surface. Place 1-2 T. of filling on the lower-middle portion of the leaf, right above where the stem used to be. Fold in the sides of the leaves over the center, then roll the bottom of the leaf over the filling and continue to roll, holding the sides in, until you've rolled the dolma completely and no filling is visible. Place the dolma seam-side down in a large saucepan or pot big enough to fit all of the dolmas in a single layer.Repeat until all of the grape leaves are used, placing one dolma directly next to the other and leaving no space in between.
4. Drizzle another 1-2 T. of olive oil over the dolmas, followed by the remaining lemon juice. Pour the remaining 4 cups vegetable broth over the grape leaves to cover. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour, adding water as necessary to keep. Remove the pan from heat, uncover, and let the dolmas cool in the liquid for 20-30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the dolmas to a serving dish. Drizzle witholive oiland lemon juice and serve at room temperature or cold.
Cook's Note:
When simmering the dolmas, do not bring the liquid to a boil (this will cause the dolmas to burst while cooking). Take care to keep the dolmas covered in liquid; if you notice that the tops of the leaves are exposed while simmering, simply add additional broth or water to the pot to cover (this will keep the leaves moist and succulent and will keep them from drying out).
12- LOKUM (Turkish Delight)
An old Turkish aphorism tells one to "eat sweetly and speak sweetly". Sweets have always been an important component of Turkish cuisine. The origin of Lokum -Turkish Delight- dates back to the time of the Ottoman Empire.
Before the 18th century, honey and grape molasses were the only sweetening agents available to Turkish confectioners. With the introduction of sugar in the late 18th century, Turkey awakened to a new era of sweet making. Sugar brought with it the beginning of endless creative possibilities to Turkish confectioners. It was during this time that Turkish delight, one of the oldest known confections in the world, was created in the great kitchens of the Ottoman court.
A whimsical tale tells of the creation of turkish delight: In an attempt to appease his many wives, a famous Sultan ordered his confectioner to create a unique sweet. Eager to please his Sultan, the confectioner blended a concoction of sugar syrup, various flavourings, nuts and dried fruits then bound them together with mastic (gum Arabic). After several attempts, a most delectable sweet emerged from the royal kitchens. The Sultan was so delighted with these delicious little gems that he proclaimed the sweet maker the court's chief confectioner! And this is the story of how Turkish delight was created. Hereafter, a plate of Turkish delight was served at daily feasts in the Ottoman court.
13- Sis Kebap
Meat on a stick originated in Turkey, wouldn’t you know? Sis Kebab is typically lamb, chicken or fish served on a wooden or metal rod, often with bread. Dip it in yogurt or eat it on its own; it’s always tender, savoury, and delicious.
14-Pilav
Turkish rice is simply put, delicious. Buttery and toasted, it can be the tastiest thing on your plate, and that’s not a bad thing. Don’t miss out on smothering your rice in yogurt - it’s actually amazing.
15-Kayısı Tatlısı
Tasty morsels of apricot stuffed with cream and nuts is a signature Turkish dessert that will blow your mind.
16- Baklalı Enginar
Peeled artichokes dressed in oil and lemon juice and served cold with beans and fresh parsley, this dish is fresh, light, and a perfect summer meal.
17- Su Böregi
This variation of börek is a strange and amazing cross between lasagna and pastry.Su böreği(or water börek) is made from dough softened and cooked in milk and eggs. Stuffed with cheese and spinach, it’s a moist and filling snack.
18-MOZAIK PASTA
Chocolate cake made with chocolate sauce and broken biscuits is artful to look at and and delicious to eat. Available in almost any cafe, mozaik cake is also a go-to for Turkish mums, most of whom can whip up a no-bake version in no time.
19-Mercimek Köftesi
These vegetarian meat balls made from lentils, bulgur, and chopped vegetables are a common Turkish appetiser.
20-Döner
Döner Kebab (döner kebapin Turkish) literally means "rotating grilled meat" (any type of meat applies). The first döner kebabs were developed in Turkey by Turkish people. Authentic Turkish döner is made from lamb; regardless, mostly beef or a mix of beef and lamb is used in Europe
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Oguzhan Apak
The Lord Of İstanbul Travel Planner
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