Güllaç with Almonds and Rosewater (Bademli Güllaç)

This sweet is made especially during Ramadan, and is one of the most popular during that period. To prepare güllaç you will need special dough that can be bought ready to use in Turkey. The dough for güllaç is composed of very thin and dry leaves made with corn starch, flour and water.

This is a recipe of a variety of güllaç with almonds.

Makes 6-8 servings

10 güllaç leaves * 4 cups milk * 2 cups sugar * 1 cup chopped almonds * ½ cup of coffee rosewater

To garnish:

Pomegranate seeds

Soak the almonds in hot water. Boil the milk on a deep cooking pot. Turn off the fire and add the sugar. Stir continuously until the sugar melts. Let it cool down. When the milk is cold, pour it in a large round tray and soak the güllaç leaves one by one. When the gullaç leaves get soft, remove them from the milk. Fold the four ends of each towards the centre. Place in the center peeled and chopped almonds. Then fold again covering the almonds. Turn each one upside down and place on a serving plate. Cover with rosewater and with the remaining milk syrup. Serve when the güllaç has absorbed all the milk. Decorate with pomegranate seeds. If the waiting time between the preparation and time to serve is very much, reserve some milk syrup to pour over the gullaç at the serving moment.

Stuffed Zucchinis (Kabak Dolması)

4 zucchinis * 1 tbsp tomato paste * 2 cups hot water

For the filling:

1 cup bulgur * 1 big onion * 1 cup water * 1 tbsp all spice * 100 g parsley * 1 tbsp olive oil * salt

For the yogurt sauce (sarımsaklı yoğurt):

5 tbsp yogurt * 2 minced garlic cloves * 2 tbsp thyme * salt

Cut a little of the base of each zucchini so they can remain upright. Cut also a little of the top of each one. Cut them in half. Remove the pulp of the zucchinis with a coffee spoon. Reserve. Mince the onion and sauté in the olive oil. Add the bulgur and the minced parsley and sauté a little more. Season with salt and all spice. Add a glass of water and cook over low fire until the water evaporates. Stuff the zucchinis with this mixture and place them in a pot with two cups of hot water and a soup spoon of tomato paste. Close the pot and cook on low fire for about 45 minutes. Mix all the ingredients of the yogurt sauce. Serve the zucchinis with the yogurt sauce.

Tekirdağ Hamburger (Tekirdağ Köfesi)

Makes 6 servings

1/2 kg ground veal or beef * 1 egg * 2-3 slices old bread * 1 onion * salt * black pepper * cumin * dry mint * oil to fry

Mince the onion very finely. In a bowl, mix the ground meat with the bread (in small pieces), the egg, the onion, the spices and the salt. Give shape to the köfte (hamburger shape) and fry them in a small amount of hot oil. Serve hot.

This is a typical köfte from the Turkish city of Tekirdağ, although it is consumed throughout Turkey. Tekirdağ is located in the northwest of Turkey, near the Greek boarder.