Elite life
Turkey (Turkish Recipes)
Meats such as lamb and beef are marinated and grilled over charcoal grills. These are known as kebabs and are quite popular as a street food in Turkey.Döner kebap, is tasty sandwich with grilled meat that resembles the widely known Gyros. Baklava, one of the most popular desserts in Turkey, consists of phyllo (filo) pastry sheets filled with nuts and soaked in a simple sugar syrup.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Pounds Zucchini, grated
Salt
5 Medium Scallion, chopped
1/3 Cup Dill, chopped
1/3 Cup Parsley, finely chopped
1 Small Onion, grated
1/3 Cup Kasseri Cheese, grated
3 Medium Eggs, beaten
3 Tablespoons Flour
Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, for frying
Cooking Instructions:
Sprinkle zucchini with salt and allow to sit in colander for 20 minutes. Squeeze dry and mix in a bowl with remaining ingredients except oil. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 1/4 cup oil in nonstick frying pan, drop by the tablespoonful into the hot oil and cook until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels and serve either hot or cold.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Flour
3 Cups Yogurt
1 Large Egg, beaten
4 Cups Chicken Stock
4 Ounces Vermicelli, broken
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 Large Onion, chopped
5 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Cup Mint, chopped
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Romano Cheese, to taste
Cooking Instructions:
Mix flour with yogurt. Add egg and stock, beat well. Bring to a simmer, add pasta and simmer for 10 minutes. Saute onion in butter for 5 minutes. Add garlic and mint. Saute for 1 minute. Add to the soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute. Serve topped with romano.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 Pound Ground Beef
2 Small Potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 Small Onion, quartered
1 Small Green Pepper, quartered
4 Sprigs Parsley
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Mustard
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
Flour
Olive Oil, for frying
Cooking Instructions:
Process half of all ingredients except flour and oil in food processor until coarsely chopped. repeat with other half. form into plum sized meatballs. roll in flour. fry in small amount of oil in skillet. remove and drain. serve on 4 wooden skewers.
Servings: 24
Ingredients:
1 Pkg Fillo Sheets
1 Pound Butter, melted
1 Pound Walnuts, chopped
3 Cups Sugar, white granulated
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon or 1/4 Teaspoon Ground and 1 Stick Cinnamon
9x13 Pyrex Baking Dish
Pastry Brush
Cooking Instructions:
Chop walnuts to medium fine and mix with 1 cup sugar, 1/4 Teaspoon ground Cinnamon and 1/4 Teaspoon ground Cloves. Melt Butter. Cut Fillo in half so that each sheet fits the bottom of the Baking Pan. Generously butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan and place the Fillo, one sheet ata a time, in the baking pan. Generously spread butter on each sheet of fillo as it is placed in the pan. Every 6 to 8 sheets of Fillo sp[read a layer of walnut mix. Continue layering Fillo sheets and walnuts until Fillo is complete. Pour any remaining butter over top of the Baklava. The secret to good flaky Baklava is to have each sheet of Fillo well buttered so that the sheets do not stick together. With a sharp knife, cut the Baklava diagonally to form diamond shaped pieces. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake the Baklava for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Mix one cup water, two cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and either 3/4 teaspoons Cinnamon or the Cinnamon stick in a sauce pan and bring to a bnoil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Pour the boiling syrup over the cool Baklava and allow to cool completely again. When cool serve individual pieces with strong (Turkish) sweet coffee and dried apricots for an exquisite dessert.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 Medium Chicken Breast, chopped
1 Cup Vermicelli, broken
1 Quart Chicken Stock
Salt, to taste
3 Lemon Lemon Juice
Cooking Instructions:
Saute onion in butter until brown, add chicken and pasta, saute 2 minutes add stock and salt, boil, simmer, 20 minutes. remove from heat. Add lemon juice and serve.
Servings: 4-5
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Carrots
1/2 Onion (one medium)
5 Tb. Sp. Olive Oil
2/3 Tb. Sp. Salt
3 Tb. Sp. Rice
5 Stems of Flat Parsley, only leaves chopped coarsely
Cooking Instructions:
Peal and cut onion into four, then slice thin. Fry onions in olive oil 4-5 minutes on low heat until onions get soft. Add salt. Peal and slice carrots 1/4" thick. Add to onions. Fry 4 minutes more. Add 1 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil, cover and cook on low heat about 30 minutes. Then sprinkle rice on carrots. Cover and continue to cook until rice is cooked. Turn off heat and let cool covered. Add chopped parsley leaves to the cold dish, mix gently and turn to a shallow dish. Keep covered. Serve at room temperature with garlic yogurt.
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Ground Beef (%85 lean)
1/2 lb. Onion grated (1 medium)
2/3 Cup Cracked Wheat (smallest size)
1 1/2 Tb. Sp. Margarine or Butter
1/2 lb. Tomatoes cubed
1/2 Tb. Sp. plus 1/2 t. Sp. Salt
1/4 t. Sp. plus a pinch Red Pepper
4 Cups Water
Cooking Instructions:
Mix ground beef, onions, cracked wheat, 1/2 Tb. Sp. salt and a pinch of red pepper well by hand. Shape into flat balls 1 1/2" in diameter and 1/2" thick. Yields about 62 balls. Melt margarine in a pot add cubed tomatoes, 1/2 t. Sp. salt and 1/4 t. Sp. red pepper. Fry on low heat 5-6 minutes. Add 4 cups of water. Bring to boil. Add cracked wheat meat balls. Cook covered about 35-40 minutes on low heat. Serve hot.
Servings: 4-5
Ingredients:
6 Tb. Sp. Red Lentils
2 Tb. Sp. Cracked Wheat (Bulgur)
2 Tb. Sp. Rice (plump kind)
3/4 lb. Onion (one med. two large)
3/4 lb. Tomato
1 1/2 Tb. Sp. Dry Mint
Salt and Red Hot Pepper to taste
3 Tb. Sp. Butter
Pick and wash red lentils.
Cooking Instructions:
Put red lentils, Cracked wheat and rice in a pot. Cover with water at least 4" above them. Gently boil covered until red lentils melt. About 2 hours. Add hot water if needed. It should be like almost a creamed soup.
In the mean time, grate onion and tomato. Melt butter and fry onions and tomatoes on a medium heat until onions are very light brown and well mixed with tomatoes. Add salt and red pepper. When the soup is cooked , add onion mixture, stir well and continue cooking another 30 minutes on a low heat covered. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat. Mix dry mint. Stir well and serve.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 Cups Rice (plump kind)
1 1/2 lb. Onions cubed small (2 med. to large)
1/2 lb. Tomatoes cubed (1 med.)
2/3 Cup Olive oil
3 Tb. Sp. Pine Nuts
3 Tb. Sp. Black Currents
1 Tb. Sp. Salt
1/2 t. sp. Sugar
2 Tb. Sp. Dry Mint
3 Cups Water
1 1/2 lb. Cabbage (about half of a small one)
Cooking Instructions:
Put olive oil, onions, pine nuts and salt in a large pot and fry until pine nuts turn light pink on a medium to low heat. About 20 minutes. Add rice and continue to frying 4-5 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes and continue to frying 4-5 minutes more, stirring. Add currants, mint, sugar and 1 cup water. Stir once. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and cook until water is absorbed. Turn off heat. Let stand covered about 30 minutes. Up to here is regular rice stuffing for grape leaves, bell peppers and eggplants. Cook cabbage 10 minutes in a lightly salted water, rinse and squeeze the water out.
Cut in 1/2" strips. Mix with rice. Add remaining 2 cups of water. Stir once, cover and cook over medium to low heat until water is absorbed. Let cool covered. Serve at room temperature.
Servings: 3-5
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups Chopped and squeezed Zucchini (grating is easier)
1/2 lb. Feta Cheese chopped or crumbled with a fork
1 Cup Dill and Parsley leaves chopped
1/2 Cup Flour
5 Eggs, large
1/2 t. Sp. Black Pepper
1 Cup Vegetable oil to fry
3 Green Onions and half Red Bell Pepper chopped
Cooking Instructions:
Mix every thing except eggs thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and stir well. Don't beat. Heat oil in a frying pan. Put heaping table spoonfuls of mixture in hot oil and flatten to 1/3 " thickness. Fry 4 or 5 at a time. When one side is golden brown turn to fry the other side. Drain excess oil on paper towel. Arrange on a flat serving plate. Serve with garlic yogurt or red onions and lettuce. Serve warm or cool.
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 lb. Dry Fava Beans (without the inner shell, yellow in color)
3 Tb. Sp. Olive Oil
3/4 Tb. Sp. Salt
1 t. Sp. sugar
12 Stems Dill
1 small and 2 very large Onions
6 Tb. Sp. Olive oil
Cooking Instructions:
Wash and soak fava beans in cold water over night at least. Change water and boil fava beans . Water should be at least 2" above the beans. When water starts to boil, take away the forming foam with a spoon. Then add 1 small onion cut up in large pieces , dill stems cut in 1" lengths (save all the leaves), 3 Tb. Sp. olive oil,salt and sugar. Cook until very, very soft about 3 hours over low heat. Add hot water if necessary. Let cool a little and put every thing through a wire sieve or food processor. It should be like a creamed soup. Turn back into the pot. Add chopped dill leaves and boil for 2 minutes stirring. Pour into a shallow pyrex or similar plate not more than 1 1/2" deep. Let it cool for several hours. The day you will serve: Cube fine 2 large onions and fry them in 6 Tb. Sp. of olive oil until they are amber color. Spread over fava. (fried onions lose crispness and color if left in the fridge over night). Serve cold.
Servings: 8-10
Ingredients:
1 Box Lasagna Noodles cooked
1/2 lb. Butter or Margarine
For Filling:
1 lb. Feta Cheese
1/2 Bunch Dill or Flat Parsley leaves
1/2 t. Sp. Black Pepper or more to taste
2 Large or 3 medium eggs
For Sauce:
9 Tb. Sp. Butter
9 Tb. Sp. Flour
3 Cup whole Milk
4 Medium Eggs
1/2 t. Sp. Salt
1/4 t. Sp. Black pepper
3 Tb. Sp. grated Parmesan Cheese, optional
Cooking Instructions:
Filling: Slice feta cheese and soak in cold water 1 hour to take the salt out. Then crumble with a fork. Mix with chopped parsley leaves and black pepper. Add 3 eggs and stir well.
Sauce: Melt butter and add flour stirring with a wooden spoon. When bubble starts add warm milk while stirring. Careful not to have lumps! On a low heat simmer to make a thick sauce. Add salt and black pepper. Add eggs one by one , stir well after each egg . Add parmesan, stir well.
Putting together: Grease an oven pan (10" by 14" about) with butter. Put one layer of cooked lasagna. Sprinkle 2 Tb. Sp. of melted butter. Pour 1/2 Tb. Sp. of sauce on 6 or 7 places. Repeat this until you use half of lasagna noodles. Spread the filling evenly. Finish with the rest of the lasagna the same way. Cover the top with the remaining sauce. Decorate with slices of orange colored cheese (optional). Bake at 350 degree F. for an hour or little more until cheese melt and sauce becomes light brown. Let stay about 15 minutes and serve warm.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
1 1 /2 lb. Shelled fresh pinto beans (about 2 1/2 with shell)
8 Tb Sp. Olive oil
1/2 lb. Onion (1 medium) diced medium
1/2 lb. Tomato (1 medium) diced large
Half of each red and green bell pepper cut in 1/2 " strips
1 t. Sp.. Salt
1/4 t. Sp.. Sugar
A handful of parsley leaves to decorate
Water to cover 1 and 1/2" over
Cooking Instructions:
Put everything except pinto beans, parsley and water in a large enough pot. Cook about 5-7 minutes until tomatoes give color to the mixture. Add pinto beans and water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer covered until bouncier very soft. Add warm water if necessary. When cooked, it should have a consistency a thick bean soup. About 2 1/2 hours. Pour in a large bowl. After it is cooled spread parsley leaves on and cover. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
3 lb. Fresh Fava Beans in Shell (choose tender ones)
7 Tb. Sp. Olive Oil
3/4 Tb. Sp. Salt
1/2 t. Sp. Sugar
12 Green onions cut 1" long including tender green parts
12 stems Dill cut 1" long including tender parts of stems (Save some leaves for decoration)
3 Tb. Sp. Flour melted in one gallon of cold water
Cooking Instructions:
Wash fava beans. Pull the strings at the sides or shave with sharp knife. Cut both ends. If some of the shells feel too tough, take only the beans. Put them in floured water as you do this. Put fava beans, onions, dill, salt and sugar in a pot. Pour olive oil, 1 cup and water and 1/2 cup floured water over them. Bring to boil an cook over medium to low heat until tender. About 1 and 1/2 hour. Add dill leaves you have saved , stir gently and pour into a bowl. Serve cold with garlic yogurt if you like.
Ingredients:
1 kg lamb meat, without bones
2 medium size onions, chopped
3 tablespoons margarine
2 small size tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 small size carrots, scraped
100 gr green peas
2 bunches dill, chopped
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons thyme
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 large sheets of wax-paper
Cooking Instructions:
Melt the margarine in a saucepan. Add the meat cut into egg size pieces and brown on all sides. Add finely chopped onions, scraped carrots cut into small sticks, one bunch of chopped dill and some salt. Cook on medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the juice is absorbed. Add vinegar and peeled and chopped tomatoes or tomato paste dissolved in very little water. Cook for 5 minutes more. Add 1 glass of warm water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 1.1/2 hours, until the meat is tender. Take the meat and carrots out with a skimmer. Strain the sauce. Heat the oil. Lightly fry peeled potatoes cut into small cubes. Take them out and add them to the carrots, together with preserved green peas, chopped dill, thyme and oregano. Cut up 6 pieces of wax paper (20×30 cm). In the middle of each one, put one piece of meat, 2-3 tablespoons of vegetables and some sauce. Fold the sides over to make a parcel (taking care that the sauce does not leak out). Place the parcels side by side in an oven dish. Slightly wet them with water. Bake them in hot oven for 15 minutes. Serve in their parcels.
Servings: 3-4
Ingredients:
400 gr regular ground beef
1/4 cup short grain rice, washed, drained
1 egg
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 onion, grated
4-5 tbsp crushed tomatoes, in a can
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 cups water
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Place flour on a large plate. Knead all the kofte ingredients in a bowl. Break off small pieces and give a small ball shape with your palms. Place them in the flour. Meanwhile, saute the onion with olive oil and butter for a couple minutes in a medium sized pot. Add crushed tomatoes, water, salt and pepper, then bring to boil over medium heat. Flour all the little Kofte, gently drop into the pot and stir slowly. Cook for about 20 minutes over a little bit under medium heat. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top. Serve this dish with a spoon and Turkish Bread on the side.
