Zeytin Salatasi (Olive Salad)

Very popular salad in southeast Turkey. Very successful combineation of taste.

1/2 cup green olives
1/2 cup black olives
1/2 cup cracked green olives
1/2 cup calamata olives
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
5 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
5 tablespoons chopped green onions
5 tablespoon chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oils
1/2 juice of lemon
sea salt
black pepper

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and toss again. Leave to stand for 6 minutes before serving for flavors to meld. Enjoy

Iskender Kebap

2 lbs thinly sliced rib eye beef ( it doesn’t have to be paper thin)
1 onion finely chopped
¼ cup sunflower oil
¼ extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon paprika
½ Turkish pide bread or flat bread
2 large tomatoes grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste or tomato puree
2 cups plain yogurt (my prefer 3.25%)
4 cloves garlic minced
4 green long peppers
1 tomato
1 cup butter
Sea salt

First make the marinade for the thinly sliced rib eye beef , place onions in a cheese cloth and squeeze onions juice. Mix pepper, sunflower oil and onion juice in a bowl, add thinly sliced rib eye beef and marinade about 1 hour. Meanwhile Put the tomatoes and peppers in the oven and grill slowly, as they will become too soft and soggy. Then combine the grated tomato, crushed garlic with olive oil and pepper in a large sauce pan and cook, stirring, over medium high heat until the tomatoes until water evaporates, and add the tomato paste reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring for 5 minutes and add the 1 glass water tomato mixture and stir and toss over medium until the iskender is well coated add the salt and remove from the heat. In a 12 inch sauté pan, heat the butter over high heat until smoking. Add marinated thinly sliced rib eye beef to the pan and cook until golden brown about 8 minutes and add the salt and remove from the heat.When everything is ready then slice the Turkish pide bread into square ½ x ½ inch, divide into 2 portions and place as a layer on each plate, adding hot beef onto the Turkish pide bread and drizzle over kebabs as it is the meat sauce. Garnish with the grilled tomatoes, long green peppers and yogurt. Enjoy

Ispanakli Borek

Lahmacun



Turkish style traditional pizza topped with ground lamb or ground beef. Lahmacun is often served sprinkled with lemon juice and wrapped around parsley and chile flakes. Chilled ayran is the usual accompaniment for this snack in Turkey. And my favorite meal. Enjoy!

1 lb ground lamb or beef little fatty (not too lean)

1 medium onion finely diced

3 tomatoes finely diced

3 gloves garlic finely diced

1 long red chiles

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ cup italian parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups warm water

Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir well to mix. In a separate bowl, whisk the yeast into the water and whisk in the oil. Use your fingers to work in the flour and form a smooth ball. Transfer to a dough mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead on a low speed for 12-15 minutes until very smooth and shiny. Cover the mixer bowl with plastic wrap an allow the dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature of the room.

Place the ground lamb or beef on a large chopping board and put the onion, tomato, parsley, paprika, red chiles, garlic and extra virgin olive oil on top. Use a very large knife to chop and mix everything together until well combined. The topping should be the consistency of a smooth, fine paste. Season with salt, black pepper and tomato paste.

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C) knock back the dough, then put it onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 10 portions. Roll each portion into a round, 6 inches in diameter. Bake for 8-10 minutes and serve piping hot. Enjoy

Künefe

I do not ever worry that some of the cholesterol and calorie values of foods and desserts. Künefe one of them. Because it will blow your mind. As a child, I met with künefe, my grandmother would have done with a great passion. Everything was yesterday, other than that.


My grandmother from Antakya(Hatay), also my mom too. This regard, I would like to share with you my grandmother recipe. Memories with respect and love them. Enjoy!

1lb Kadayıf (Shredded Dough)
1 cup melted unsalted butter
1lb Bocconcini cheese
2cup sugar
1cup water
½ teaspoon lemon juice

First, prepare the syrup. Combine sugar with the water in a sauce pot. Bring to the boil, then lower the head and add the lemon juice, stirring 1 to 2 minutes, remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Combine Kadayıf with the melted butter in a large bowl, make fluffing very well. After, in two separate equal pieces. Half of the Kadayıf in a 12 inches baking pan and very gently press. Grate boccocini cheese, evenly on the Kadayıf. Cover cheese with the remaining Kadayıf, distributing it evenly again very gently press on the Kadayıf with your hands.

Bake in a preheated 375F oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, cut into serving pieces, pour the cold syrup over the sizzling hot Künefe evenly with a teaspoon. Serve sprinkled with the silvered pistachios (optional whipped cream).

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