Manti (Turkish Ravioli)

Manti (Turkish Tortellini)
Originally uploaded by Tulipa Turcica.

Manti is a traditional dish in Turkey. Sometimes it is called “Turkish Ravioli”, “Turkish Dumplings”or “Turkish Tortellini”. Homemade manti is very delicious and superb meal. It takes time to prepare, but it's worth it.

In Turkey, the most famous manti is Kayseri style manti, their size is very tiny. People from Kayseri say “40 pieces of manti have to fit in one tablespoon”. The size of the manti is the choice of the cook and does not affect the taste. Some people like to make manti in different sizes.

Ingredients

Dough
2,5 cups flour
1 egg
100 gr. milk
½ dessert spoon salt

Filling
250 gr. finely ground meat (rib roast of heifer )
1 onion (finely chopped)
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Boiling
6 cups hot beef stock or water
1,5 dessert spoons salt

Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive or corn oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika powder
2/3 cup hot beef stock or water

Yogurt & Garlic Dressing
3 cups yogurt
3 cloves garlic

Directions

Put flour into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over flour. Make a pool in the centre.Crack the egg and gradually pour the milk into the pool. Mix the ingredients to form a dough.

Place the dough on a working surface. Knead well until making a smooth dough (knead aproximately 10 minutes).

When the dough is smooth and elastic, return it to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or wrap the dough with a plastic wrap, let it rest at room temperature for one hour.

Meanwhile, combine ground meat, finely chopped onion, minced parsley, freshly ground black pepper and salt into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with cling film and set it aside.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. Work on a lightly floured surface and put some flour on each ball. Using a rolling-pin, roll out each ball of dough into a round layer (as thin as possible). Cut the round piece into 3 x 3 cm squares.

Take each square seperately, put 1/2 teaspoon of ground beef, onion and parsley mixture into the center of each square. Seal crosswise edges firmly over filling by pressing with your fingers.

Carefully transfer the dumplings onto a greased baking tray. Bake the dumplings in a preheated oven for ten minutes until crisp. Set them aside to cool.

Pour 6 cups of hot stock /water into a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add 1,5 dessert spoons salt. Add dumplings into the boiling stock and cook for ten minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, heat a small sized nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Combine olive oil, butter, tomato paste, hot beef stock or water, red pepper flakes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the sauce into the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon. 1 minute later, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, gently remove dumplings from the saucepan, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Spoon sauce into the bottom of the warmed plates. Spoon yogurt & garlic dressing over each plate of dumplings.

To prepare yogurt and garlic dressing, pour 3 cups yogurt into a small bowl, add 3 cloves of crushed garlic and whisk together.

Have a good appetite!

Leek With Olive Oil

Leek, Oliveoil and Lemon - Purjolök, olivolja och citron
Originally uploaded by pixi's.

Leeks like onions and garlic, reduce bad cholesterol levels, while raising good cholesterol levels. Leeks lower high blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar. Regular consumption of leeks reduce risk of prostate and colon cancers, protect colon cells from cancer-causing toxins. Leeks are a good source of manganese, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin A-C-K, folate, and iron.

Ingredients

750 gr. leek
1 onion
1 big carrot
3,5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice
1,5 cups hot water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon sugar
1 dessert spoon salt

Directions

Wash the leeks and cut them into 2 inch pieces. Put the sliced leeks into a strainer and drain the water. Be sure to drain it thoroughly.

Cut the carrot into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan.

Add finely chopped onions and the sliced carrots and saute over medium heat until the onions are golden brown.

Add the leeks and sauté until the leeks are well coated with the oil (about 1-2 minutes).

Pour lemon juice into the saucepan. Put the lid on the saucepan. Sauté the leeks gently until they begin to soften and just barely beginning to colour.

Add drained rice, salt, sugar, hot water, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Have a good appetite!

Turkish Half-Round Pastries

Making the Dough
Originally uploaded by sustenation.

Half-Round Pastry is called “peynirli pogaca “ in Turkey. “Pogaca” is pronounced like “po-ah-cha”.

Ingredients

Dough
5+ 3/4 cups flour
1 dessertspoonful fresh yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
125 gr. margarine or butter (melted)
90 gr. corn oil
1+1/6 cups milk
1 cup yogurt
10 gr. baking powder
2 eggs
1 dessert spoon salt (2 teaspoons)

Filling
1 egg white
1,5 cups white cheese crumbled with a fork
½ bunch fresh parsley

Topping
2 egg yolks
1 dessert spoon corn oil
2 tablespoons black cumin or sesame seeds

Directions

Put the fresh yeast into a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast completely in ½ cup lukewarm water.

Put flour into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt and baking powder over flour. Make a pool in the centre.

Pour the yeast liquid, milk, yogurt, melted butter or margarine, ½ cup corn oil into the pool. Add 2 eggs. Mix the ingredients to form a dough. Place the dough on a working surface. If the dough is wet and sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is very firm, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time. Knead well until making a smooth dough.

When the dough is smooth, and earlobe-soft return it to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or wrap the dough with plastic wrap, let it rest at room temperature for one hour.

Mix egg white, cheese and parsley in a bowl.

Divide the dough into balls, take each ball, flatten each into disc form (approximately 3 inches), take each piece seperately, put 1 dessert spoon of cheese & parsley mixture just below the centre of each disc and spread out and down, leave a slight border at the bottom and sides. Fold top of pastry over filling to form half-round pastries. Press the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork.
Carefully transfer the halfrounds onto a greased baking tray.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and 1 dessert spoon of corn oil together and brush over the surface of each half-round. Sprinkle black cumin or sesame seeds over them.

Bake halfmoons in a preheated oven until the crust is lightly browned.

Serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

Have a good appetite!

Penne With Tomatoes, Parsley and Mint

Penne Arrabiata da Piazza delle Erbe
Originally uploaded by KAGoldberg.

Ingredients

250 gr. penne
2,5 liters of water
25 gr. salt (1+1/4 tablespoons)
5 medium sized tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (smashed)
4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sugar if necessary
1/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add salt(1+1/4 tablespoons). Then add the penne and cook according to package instructions. Usually 8-10 minutes, I cooked for 10 minutes in order to achieve the right texture. Stir for 2 or 3 times in order to avoid the penne sticking together. Drain the pasta and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

The tomato sauce should be prepared while you are boiling the penne.

Peel the tomatoes. If you want to peel them easily, put the tomatoes into boiling water and count to ten. Then put them quickly into cold water, don’t leave the tomatoes in the cold water more than one minute, quickly peel off their skin with your fingers or with a knife. Chopped the tomatoes and put them into a strainer and press down with a spoon and remove the seeds. Use a food mill to puree the tomatoes.

Heat a medium sized sauteing pan over medium-low heat. Heat the extra virgin olive in the sauteing pan.

When the oil is hot, add the garlic, and saute over medium heat until the garlic becomes slightly golden.

Add the strained tomatoes. Stir occasionally, continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce (I usually don't need). Add a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, red-pepper flakes to taste. Taste the tomato sauce, if you think that the sauce is a bit acidic, you should add a pinch of sugar.

In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add chopped mint and parsley.

Add the penne to the tomato sauce. Stir to coat all the pasta with the tomato sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately.

Preheat the plates. Just before serving, add some freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese on pasta (not too much).

Have a good appetite!

Anchovy Pilaf

It's not difficult to cook, reasonably cheap and very tasty.
8 Servings

Ingredients

2 kg. fresh anchovies
3 cups long grain rice
4 cups lukewarm water
1 dessert spoon salt
3 cups boiling water or chicken stock
1,5 cups hot water
2 medium onions (finely chopped)
½ cup currants(washed)
½ cup slivered blanched almonds or shelled pistachio nuts or pine nuts
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
1 lemon (peeled, sliced)
2 dessert spoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 dessert spoon dried mint
1 dessert spoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dessert spoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Scatter salt over anchovies.

2. Wash the rice twice and soak the rice in salted (1 dessert spoon) lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Then put them into a rice strainer and drain the water. Be sure to drain it thoroughly.
If you don’t have time wash the rice three or four times, until water runs quite clear.

3. Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan, add the slivered almonds and saute until almonds are lightly browned.

4. Add finely chopped onions and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.

5. Add the drained rice and stir for 5 minutes until well coated with the oil. Add currants. Season with two dessert spoons salt, 1 tea spoon sugar, ground black pepper, dried mint, ground allspice and ground cinnamon.

6. Then add 3 cups of boiling water or chicken stock into the saucepan.

7. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.

8. Remove from heat, add minced parsley and stir gently with a wooden spoon and then place a paper towel between pan and lid to absorb moisture. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

9. Place half of the anchovy fillets skin side down in a baking tray. Pour the pilaf over the anchovy fillets. Place the rest of anchovy fillets the skin side up over the rice. Cover pilaf completely with anchovies. Place lemon slices on top. Pour 1,5 cups of hot (not boiling) water over the anchovies.

10. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

11. Bake the anchovy pilaf in a preheated oven until the liquid is absorbed and the anchovies are just cooked.

Serve with Turkish Shepherd's Salad and arugula leaves.

Have a good appetite!

Rice Pudding

rice pudding
Originally uploaded by stu_spivack.

Turkish rice pudding is called “Sutlac” in Turkish. “Sutlac” is derived from the Turkish words “Sutlu As” which means “Meal with Milk. Sutlac or Turkish rice pudding is a traditional dessert from the Ottoman Empire. There are two basic ways to make rice pudding - baking or boiling. The pudding is thickened with wheat starch and sometimes flavored with gum mastic, vanilla, cinnamon. It is generally served cold.

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 lt whole milk
3 tablespoons wheat starch
1 + ¼ cups sugar
100 gr – 4 tablespoons long grain rice
¼ cup cold water
½ teaspoon pounded gum mastic (optional)
1 egg yolk
Cinnamon
Oven proof small bowls


Directions

Wash the rice three or four times, until water runs quite clear.

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Put the rice into the saucepan, cover it with 3 cups of water. Simmer over medium heat until almost all the water has been absorbed. When the rice is cooked, drain it.

I usually don’t use vanilla and gum mastic. If you desire, add gum mastic pieces and 1 sweetspoon sugar into the mortar. Pound with a pestle.

In a medium size nonstick saucepan, combine milk, pounded gum mastic and drained rice and simmer until the rice is tender. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Put wheat starch into a small bowl, pour ¼ cup water and whisk together until well mixed. Add 2 tablespoons of milk from the saucepan to the starch mixture and continue to whisk.

When the mixture begins to boil, pour gently the wheat starch mixture into the saucepan. Add sugar into the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Pour the rice pudding into small bowls. Dress with a pinch of cinnamon. Place the bowls in a fridge to cool over night and serve it the next day.

The rice pudding is ready. If “baked rice puding” is desired, use oven proof cups. Don’t dress with a pinch of cinnamon before baking process.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoonful rice puding until well mixed. Spoon the egg mixture onto surface at the desired thickness.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400 °F, Gas Mark 6.

Pour rice pudding into oven proof cups, place the bowls in a baking tray, fill half of the baking tray with water.

Bake until the top is browned, this creates a distinctive skin on the surface. Remove from oven and let it cool.

It can be served either warm or cold.

Have a good appetite!

Turkish Meatballs (Kofte)

According to a research of Yasar Group, Turkish cuisine features 291 different kinds of “kofte”. The most common form of kofte is grilled kofte. Before preparing your kofte, keep in mind, hand-chopped meat tastes better. Use a cleaver for mincing until fine grind texture. It is best to leave a little fat with the meat to add flavor and tenderness. As an alternative to cleaver, grind the meat twice in a meat grinder or a food processor could also be used to grind the meat.

Ingredients

400 gr. finely ground meat (rib roast of heifer )
1 large onion (grated)
3-4 bread slices (do not use stale)
1 egg
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tyme leaves
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons corn oil for frying (optional)

Directions

Bake fresh bread slices in a 300 degrees F / 150 degrees C / Gas mark 2 oven for aproximately 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from oven and let it cool.

Tear the bread slices into smaller pieces. Use a food processor to turn the pieces of bread into bread crumbs. Continue to grind until a coarse texture.

Combine minced rib roast, egg, grated onion, bread crumbs, grated garlic, 3 teaspoons olive oil, minced parsley, salt and spices into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with cling film and place in a fridge to set for 2 hours.

2 hours later, take it out of the fridge, knead well until well mixed. Shape the mixture into small balls and flatten each into a circle about 2 inches in diameter. Place meatballs on a lightly greased charcoal grill. Do not overcook; it results in tough, dry meat. Turn halfway with cooking tongs, do not use fork. After taking it out of the grill, wait for 5-10 minutes to redistribute the juices inside the meat. Serve hot.

As an alternative to grilling, heat a medium size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the corn oil in the frying pan. If the oil is not hot enough, the meatballs will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If the oil is too hot, the surface of meatballs will burn from the direct heat of the oil.

Add the meatballs in small batches and fry them until cooked through. Fry both sides of meatballs. Repeat with the remaining meatballs, returning oil to the same level between batches.

Remove the fried meatballs with a slotted spoon, drain them on a paper towel. Once the excess oil has drained off the meatballs, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Serve hot with grilled tomatoes & green anaheim chili peppers, onions and sumac mixture or shepherd’s salad and Turkish rice pilaf.

To prepare onion and sumac mixture:
Ingredients
2 onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sumac
1 dessertspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the onions in half first and then slice them into half-moon shapes. Soak onion slices in water for 10 minutes. Drain well. Mix olive oil, onion slices, sumac, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and salt.

Have a good appetite!

Fried Anchovies

anchovy
Originally uploaded by savluv.

During fishing season, I eat anchovies every Friday. I am fond of anchovies. Anchovies are a big source of healthy fat, the omega-3 fatty acids.

Ingredients

1 kg. fresh anchovies
1 cup corn flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup corn oil
Arugula leaves
Lemon slices

Directions

Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Put 1 cup of corn flour in a bowl.

In a tray, lay half of the anchovies skin side down. Place the remaining anchovies skin side up over the first fillets.

Make sure the anchovies are dry. Dredge both sides of anchovies in the flour, coat well with flour. Shake in a sieve to remove excess flour.

Heat a medium size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the corn oil in the frying pan. If the oil is not hot enough, oil will reach the anchovies before the corn flour forms a protective layer. If the oil is too hot, the coating will burn from the direct heat of the oil before the anchovies has had time to cook.

Add the anchovies in small batches and fry them for 2 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Fry both sides of anchovies. Repeat with the remaining anchovies, returning oil to the same level between batches.

Remove the fried anchovies with a slotted spoon, drain them on a paper towel. Once the excess oil has drained off the anchovies, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Sprinkle salt and black pepper. Avoid adding salt before frying. Decorate with lemon wedges and arugula leaves.

Serve hot with green salad.

Have a good appetite!

Steamed Anchovies with Lemon

"ma tutto questo le alici non lo sanno”...
Originally uploaded by Frengo.

Ingredients

1 kg. fresh anchovies
1 medium tomato(peeled and sliced)
1/2 bunch fresh parsley (minced)
2 lemons (one of them is peeled and sliced)
½ cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions

Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Scatter salt and black pepper over anchovies.
Make sure you have a frying pan with lid. Place the anchovies in a non-stick frying pan.
Sprinkle minced parsley over anchovies.
Slice the tomato and put the slices of tomato and slices of one lemon on top.
Pour the juice of one lemon and olive oil over anchovies. Put the lid on the frying pan.
Cook over medium heat until they are done, approximately 15 min., but do not overcook.
Serve with green salad.

Have a good appetite!

Stuffed Zucchini With Yogurt Sauce

Zucchini Duck
Originally uploaded by Alex Gee.

Stuffed Zucchini is called “kabak dolma-sı” in Turkish. “Dolma” is a well known Turkish food. All kinds of food associated with stuffing are called dolma in Turkish. The word “dolma” is derived from the verb “dolmak” in Turkish which means “stuffed”. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bosnian people call it “dolma”. Georgian says “tolma”, Persian “dolmeh” and Greek people call it “dolmades”. The origin of dolma sounds Turkish. The most common dolmas are eggplant, zucchini, pepper and tomato. The stuffing may include meat or not. I am fond of stuffed zucchini with yogurt sauce.

Ingredients

1 kg. zucchini
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
90 gr. olive oil
1 cup rice
2 tomatoes (peeled and grated)
1 tomato (sliced)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons currants (optional)
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
½ bunch fresh dill (minced)
Parsley and dill stems
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2 cups water
1 dessert spoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
salt

Directions

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan.

Add finely chopped onions and pine nuts and saute over low heat until the onions are golden brown.

Add the drained rice and stir constantly until well coated with the oil.

Add grated tomatoes into the saucepan. Season with salt and sugar. Add 1 cup of water. Add currants and put the lid on. Cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, then reduce the heat to low and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add ground allspice, cinnamon, dired mint, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, minced parsley and dill, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut off the top of the zucchinis. Cut the zucchinis in half (or in three equal parts)
Use a melon baller or a dessert spoon, scoop out the centers, leave a thin border all around.

Stuff the zucchinis with the mixture. Keep in mind to stuff only ¾ of zucchini cups. Because during the cooking rice will enlarge and fill the cover. Put tomato slices on top of them. Put parsley and dill stems at the bottom of a nonstick saucepan and place stuffed zucchinis over them side by side. Pour the remained 1 cup of water and cook over low heat untill fork tender, do not overcook.

Serve with yogurt and garlic dressing. To prepare yogurt and garlic dressing, pour 1 cup yogurt into a small bowl, add 1 clove of crushed garlic and whisk together.

Note: I usually don't use pine nuts, currants and ground cinnamon.

Have a good appetite!

Turkish Coffee

Turkish Coffee
Originally uploaded by HandMadeGod.

When I drink sugarless Turkish coffee, I usually want something with it, a Turkish bitter almond cookie, an almond paste, a cezerye or a Turkish delight. Turkish coffee is different, but once you are used to drink it with one of Turkish confections it is a marriage made in heaven.

2 Servings

Ingredients

2 dessert spoons extra fine ground Turkish coffee for each cup of coffee
2 dessert spoons sugar for each cup of coffee (the amount of sugar may change according to taste)
2 demitasse cups of water for each person
Essentials
2 demitasse cups (called fincan)
1 Turkish copper coffee pot (called cezve, long handled pot)
Charcoal Grill

Directions

Put water into the copper coffee pot. Add freshly ground Turkish coffee and sugar into the coffee pot and stir with a wooden dessert spoon before heating.

Low flame is necessary for Turkish coffee. For this reason, heat the pot slowly over charcoal embers for 15 to 20 minutes, several times take the copper coffee pot away from the fire before it boils over. Do not stir the foam will collapse. Foam forms on the top as it boils. Just before it overflows, remove the pot from fire, share the foam between the cups.

Continue heating until coffee boils again and pour the rest of the coffee into the cups.

Serve with two glasses of water and two Turkish delights.

Have a good appetite!

Red Lentils Kofte

Nar ve Mercimek Köftesi
Originally uploaded by dèpresif vişne ®.

Some Turkish women prepare red lentils kofte for lunch or for teatime (btw.3-5 PM)

8 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils
1,5 cups fine bulgur/cracked wheat
3 cups water
6 scallions (thinly sliced)
1 bunch parsley (minced)
2 medium onions(chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red pepper paste
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 tablespoons minced fresh mint or ½ tablespoon dried mint
1 tablespoon pomegranate sour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dessert spoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Lettuce leaves

Directions

1.Cover the lentils with 3 cups of water. Simmer until the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat.
2. Add fine bulgur over the lentils and let it stand for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
3. Heat a small size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan. Add chopped onions and saute for 5-6 minutes. Then add both tomato and red pepper pastes and saute for 3 minutes. Crack the egg and cook for about an additional 3 minutes.
4. Combine onion mixture with the lentils and fine bulgur mixture. Season with salt, spices and knead well.
5. Add scallions, parsley and mint.
6. Pour lemon juice and pomegranate sour over it and mix well with a wooden spoon.
7. Shape the lentils into thick sticks.

Serve with lettuce leaves and pickle.

Have a good appetite!

Turkish Cacik

Turkish cacik pronounced like “Jajik”. It is a very refreshing dish especially during the summer months. Cacik is served as an accompanying dish to a main course or any kind of kebab. It is more liquid than "tzatziki". Tzatziki is a kind of yogurt dip/sauce in Greece.

Ingredients

1 large cucumber
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1,5 cups yogurt
3 tablespoons cold water
1,5 tablespoons minced fresh mint or 1 dessert spoon dried mint
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1,5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Pour the yogurt into a medium-sized bowl, add crushed garlic and whisk together.

Season to taste with salt.

Coarsely grate the cucumber into the bowl.

Dilute with cold water.

Add minced mint and dill, stir to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together until well blended. Pour the dressing over the cacik and mix well. Just before serving, pour into very small bowls.

Have a good appetite!

Bulgur Pilaf with tomato, onion and green chili peppers

3 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup extra coarse bulgur /cracked wheat

2 cups chicken stock or broth(hot)

1 medium onion (very finely chopped)

2 green anaheim chilies or banana peppers (finely sliced)

1 tomato, finely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 dessert spoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan, add the onions and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes stirring.

2. Add the sliced green anaheim chilies or banana peppers and saute for another 3 minutes.

3. Add tomato and saute for 1 minute.

4. Add bulgur and continue to saute until well coated with the vegetables. Season with salt and the black pepper.

5. Then add hot stock or broth into the saucepan.

6. Bring to a boil (simmer for 5 minutes). Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until broth/stock is absorbed.

7. Remove from heat, stir gently with a wooden spoon and then place a paper towel between pan and lid to absorb moisture. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Have a good appetite!

Cigarette Shaped Pastries

Cigarette shaped pastry is as a snack for teatime or as a finger food at parties. The pastries are typically served with tea at Sunday breakfasts. While cigarette shaped pastries are usually fried, they can also be baked.

Ingredients

2 phyllo pastries

1 cup feta cheese crumbled with a fork

½ bunch chopped fresh parsley

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon sesame and black cumin seeds

1 dessert spoon red pepper flakes

1 cup olive oil

If you bake, additionally 1 tablespoon melted butter,

1 dessert spoon olive oil

Directions

1. Mix cheese and parsley in a bowl. Season with red pepper flakes.

2. Put the pastries on top of one another. Cut phyllo pastries from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, then from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock, now you get 4 triangles for each pastry. Then cut each triangle into 2 or 3 so that you get 8 or 12 triangles for each pastry, it is up to your choice.

3. Take each piece seperately, put 1 dessert spoon of cheese and parsley mixture on wide edge, fold the corners, then roll like a cigarette, seal the narrow edge with one drop of water.

4. Beat the egg yolks. Brush over the cigarette pastries. Sprinkle sesame and black cumin seeds over each pastry.

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. In the frying pan, heat 1 cup, or more, of olive oil over medium high heat. Make sure you have at least 1 cup of oil, so it will cover the cigarette pastries. When oil is hot, carefully add the cigarette pastries in batches and fry until golden on both sides. Add more oil, if necessary.

6. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, set aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil, and discard any leftover oil.

As an alternative to frying, brush each piece with melted butter before rolling. Beat the egg yolk with 1 dessert spoon of olive oil and brush over each piece and bake them in a preheated oven until they become golden.

Serve freshly fried.

Have a good appetite!

Shepherd's Salad

It is a very classic Turkish salad - ubiquitous throughout Turkey

Ingredients

4 tomatoes (diced into small cubes)
4 cucumbers (peeled and diced into small cubes)
4 green anaheim chilies (thinly sliced) or banana peppers (seeded and thinly sliced)
1 onion (diced into small cubes)
1/2 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon pomegranate sour
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Combine the diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and sliced green anaheim chilies or banana peppers in a large salad bowl. Add chopped parsley and mint.
To prepare the salad dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and pomegranate sour in a small bowl and whisk together until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Just before serving, pour the salad dressing over the salad and mix well.

Have a good appetite!

KISIR

6 Servings
Some Turkish women prepare kisir for lunch or for teatime (btw. 3 - 5 PM). It is like a bulgur salad.

Ingredients

2 cups fine bulgur /cracked wheat
3 cups boiling water
1 medium chopped onion
5 tomatoes (diced)
2 cucumbers (diced)
2 green anaheim chili peppers or banana peppers (finely sliced)
½ bunch parsley (minced)
6 scallions (thinly sliced)
2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1 tablespoon pomegranate sour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red pepper paste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried mint
1,5 dessert spoons red pepper flakes
1 dessert spoon isot paprika
1 dessert spoon freshly ground black pepper
Lettuce and grape leaves.

Directions

In a large bowl, cover bulgur with enough boiling water. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile chop veggies except lettuce and grape leaves. Put each veggie in a different bowl.

30 minutes later, heat a small size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan. Add the onions and saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes stirring. Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and saute for 3 minutes.

Combine paste and onion mixture with bulgur and add salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, isot paprika and knead a few minutes.

Then add cucumbers, scallions, parsley and mint and pour lemon juice over it and mix well with a wooden spoon.

At the end add tomatoes and gently stir.

Serve with lettuce, grape leaves, pickle and TEA.

Have a good appetite!