Potato Salad (Patates Salatası)

Makes 5-6 servings

5 medium sized potatoes * 50 g parsley * 1 carrot * 1/2 lemon juice * black pepper * salt

Boil the potatoes and the carrot. Filter and mash them with a fork or in the mixer. Mince the parsley. Mix the mashed potatoes and carrot with the minced parsley, lemon juice and a bit of black pepper and salt. Let it cool down a little. Make small balls and serve cold or warm with pickles.

Swiss Chard Pie (Pezik Mücveri)

This is a delicious recipe typical from the Black Sea region.

Makes 4-6 servings

1 bunch swiss chard (about 750 g) * 1 onion * 1 tbsp flour * 2 eggs * 2 cups cooked rice * dry mint * black pepper * salt * olive oil to fry

Wash the swiss chard and cut the stems. Mince the swiss chard and boil with water. Filter and reserve. In a bowl, mix the eggs, the flour, the minced onion, the cooked rice and all the seasonings. Add the swiss chard and mix well. Put oil in a large and anti-adherent frying pan. The pan must be completely covered with olive oil. Pour the mixture in the whole area of the pan. Cook on low heat, one of the sides, for about 10 minutes. When that side is cooked, fry the other side of the mixture. For that, use a plate with the same diameter of the frying pan or bigger. Place the dish on the pan and turn the pan, so that the mixture falls on the plate. Place the side that has not been cooked in the pan. Cook that side for about 10 minutes. Let cool down a little and turn on a serving plate. Serve cut into slices.

Sautéed Potato Puree (Patates Kavurması)

Makes 2-3 servings

6 medium potatoes * 1 large onion * 1 tbsp pepper paste or 1 small tomato * 4-5 tbsp olive oil * red pepper * dry mint * black pepper * salt

Boil the potatoes. Mince the onion and sauté slightly in the olive oil. Add the pepper paste or a peeled tomato cut in small pieces. Add the mashed potatoes. Season with salt and spices. Stir for about one minute over medium heat. Take from the fire and serve.

This dish is usually served as an appetizer, but it is also delicious as a side dish.

Kırkağaç Hamburgers (Kırkağaç Köftesi)

Kırkağaç is the name of a village located near the coast of the Aegean Sea and included in the province of Manisa. This köfte has the name of this village and is typical of the region.

Makes 4-5 servings

300 g ground beef or veal * 1 onion * 1 1/2 cup (approx.) old bread, crumbled * 100 g parsley * salt * oil to fry * plain yogurt

Mince the onion and parsley very finely. Mix all ingredients well, except the yogurt, and knead very well with the hands. Give shape to very thin and small hamburgers and fry them in hot oil. Put them on a kitchen towel, and then pass them to a serving plate. Serve hot, accompanied with plain yogurt.

Borlotti Bean Stew (Zeytinyağlı Barbunya)

Makes 4 servings

400 g boiled borlotti beans * 2 tomatoes * 1 onion * 3 tbsp olive oil * 1 carrot * 2 green chili pepers * 1/2 litre water * salt

Bring to fire the minced onion, the peppers cut in small pieces and the olive oil. Cook on low heat for about three minutes. Add the carrot and tomatoes cut in small pieces and cook a few more minutes. Add the boiled beans, water and salt and cook over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. Decorate with fresh minced parsley, if you wish.

In Turkey, this dish is usually served cold and eaten as an appetizer. It is included in the vast catalogue of meze (appetizers) so typical of the Turkish cuisine. A meal in Turkey can be only composed by a group of meze. The drink that usually accompanies the meze is the raki, the national drink of Turkey. This dish is also delicious eaten hot and served with a pilaf.

Chicken Phyllo Rolls (Tavuklu Börek)

For around 15 rolls

1 onion * 2 tablespoons olive oil * 1 cooked and shredded chicken breast * black pepper * salt * red pepper * dried thyme * 3 sheets of filo pastry (yufka) * 1 egg * 3 tablespoons yogurt * 125 g melted margarine

Garrison:

1 yolk

Heat the chopped onion with the oil. Add the chicken and seasonings and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Mix the yogurt with an egg and melted margarine. Lay the filo sheets on top of each other, brushing the surface of each one with the liquid mix. Cut equal squares and top each one with the chicken. Roll each one up, tucking the ends inwards. Place on a tray greased with oil. Bake in a preheated oven at around 200º until golden and crispy.

Fried Bread with Cheese (Peynirli Yumurtalı Ekmekler)

Makes 4 servings

8 bread slices * 2 cups milk * 200 g kaşar cheese (or cheddar) * 2 eggs * 2 tsp thyme * 1 tsp red pepper * 1 1/2 cup crumbled bread * oil to fry

Put the milk in a deep bowl. Dip each bread slice in the milk, and place them in a large plate. Cut the cheese in slices and place two of them over four bread slices. Cover with the remaining ones. Mix the eggs with the red pepper and the thyme. Put the crumbled bread in a plate. Pass both sides of the bread on the crumbled bread and then in the eggs. Fry in very hot oil. Serve hot.

Fried Cauliflower (Karnabahar Tava)

1 cauliflower * 1 cup crumbled kaşar cheese (or cheddar) * 2 coffee cups flour * 1 egg * 2 coffee cups corn starch * 1 bottle (33 cl) of mineral water with gas or beer * salt * oil to fry

Wash the cauliflower and separate the flowers. Cook with water and salt. Then, wash with cold water. In a bowl, place the mashed cheese, the flour, the egg, the corn starch, the water (or the beer) and the salt. Pass the cauliflower on this sauce, one by one, and fry.



This dish is a delicious appetizer and is included in the many Turkish meze (appetizer). The meze have a very special role in the Turkish cuisine, and many times the Turkish meals are composed by a group of various meze.

Chicken Croquettes (Tavuk Köftesi)

Makes 4 servings

2 chicken breast (without bone and skin) * 1 cup water * 3 old bread slices * 1 onion * 1 tbsp minced parsley * 2 eggs * salt * black pepper * grated bread * 3 tbsp oil to fry

Boil the chicken in one cup water, on low heat, for about 25 minutes. Mince the chicken with the hands or use the mixer. Moisture the bread in some water and squeeze it. Mince the onion and the parsley. Mix the chicken with the bread, one egg, onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Take portions of the mixture in the size of an egg and give them a croquette shape. Whisk an egg. Place grated bread in another recipient. Put oil in a frying pan. Pass the croquettes first in the bread and then in the egg. Pass them again in grated bread and fry them. Serve hot.

Beetroot and Yogurt Dip (Yoğurtlu Pancar Mezesi)

Makes 2 servings

4 tbsp plain yogurt * 1 beetroot * 2 garlic cloves * 1 tbsp dried thyme * salt

Place the beetroot in a cooking pan, cover with water and cook until it gets soft. Filter and let it cool down. Cut into small and thin pieces. Reserve. Place the yogurt in a small bowl. Add the beetroot pieces, the minced garlic, the salt and the thyme and mix.

This dipping sauce can be served as an appetizer combined with other mezes, or as a complement of a main dish.

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.

Pasta and Feta Cheese Börek (Yalancı Su Boreği)

Makes 5-6 servings

3 phyllo pastry sheets (yufka) * 250 g pasta (like this one or similar) * 4 eggs * 125 g margarine * 2 cups milk * 70 cl oil * 500 g feta cheese * 100 g parsley * 50 g dill

Cook the pasta, filter and place it on a bowl. Add the crumbled cheese, the margarine (at room temperature), the minced parsley and dill and mix everything very well. In another bowl beat 3 eggs. Add the oil and the milk and mix. Grease an oven tray or a big round oven pan. Cover it with one phyllo pastry sheet. Make the phyllo pastry humid with part of the oil mixture. Then, cover with half of the cheese mixture. Close with the extremities of the phyllo pastry that were out of the pan or tray. With the oil mixture, make that part of the phyllo pastry humid. Cover with another phyllo pastry sheet. This sheet must be totally inside the pan or tray. Make it humid with the oil mixture. Cover with the rest of the filling and then cover with the third phyllo pastry sheet. Beat one egg and brush the surface of the last phyllo pastry sheet. Bake on a 200º preheated oven until the surface of the börek gets brown.

Eggplant Börek (Patlıcanlı Börek)

2 tbsp olive oil * 3 eggplants * 1 onion * 2 green peppers * 2 tomatoes * salt * black pepper * 4 phyllo pastry sheets (yufka) * 2 cups milk * 1/2 cup olive oil * 2 egg whites * 1 egg yolk

To garnish:


1 egg yolk

Peel the eggplants and cut them in small cubes. Place them on a bowl with water and salt for 10 minutes. In the meantime, sauté the minced onion and peppers in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the eggplant. Peel the tomatoes, cut in cubes and add them to the other vegetables. Let it cook until all the juice evaporates. Let it cool down and reserve. Prepare a liquid mixture with the olive oil, the milk and the eggs. Place two phylo pastry sheets on a greased oven tray. Make the phylo pastry wet by pouring half of the liquid mixture over it. Cover with the eggplant filling. Then, cover the filling with two phylo pastry sheets and pour on the rest of the liquid. Brush with the egg yolk. Bake on a 200º preheated oven until the surface is brown and crusty. Let it cool down and then cut into squares. You can put on the fridge and heat before serving.

Fried Mussels with Dipping Sauce (Midye Tava)

Makes 4 servings

30 mussels * 4 tbsp flour * 1 egg * 1/2 cup beer * salt * black pepper * 1 cup oil for frying

For the dipping sauce:

2 tbsp pine-nuts * 2 tbsp milk * 1 tbsp cream * 2 garlic cloves * 1 tbsp lemon juice * salt * black pepper

Mix the flour with the egg, the beer, the salt and the black pepper. Put each mussel in this mixture and fry in hot oil. When the mussels become cooked place them on a paper towel.
Prepare the sauce. Beat the milk with the cream and the minced garlic. Add the lemon, the salt, the black pepper and the pine-nuts.
Serve the mussels with the dipping sauce in different plates. Each person can cover the mussels with the desired amount of sauce. These mussels can also be eaten inside the bread. In that case, they can be also covered with the sauce.

Baked Eggplants with Veggie Filling (İmambayıldı)

Many Turkish dishes have interesting names. The direct translation of this recipe is "the Imam fainted".

Makes 6 servings

6 medium sized eggplants * 6 tsps sugar * 1 tbsp olive oil * 1 coffee cup olive oil * 6 garlic cloves * 3 medium sized onions * 4 medium sized tomatoes * 50 g parsley * salt * 1-2 red bell pepper (to garnish)

Peel the eggplants. Mix 2 tsps of salt with 2 tsps of sugar and sprinkle the eggplants. Let them wait for 30 minutes. Dry the eggplants very well. Place them on a oven tray and pour over the olive oil. Bake them on a 200º pre-heated oven until they become soft (aprox. 20 minutes). On a frying pan, sauté the garlic and the onion with the olive oil (1 tbsp). Peel the tomatoes, cut them in cubes and add them to the garlic and onion. Add 4 tsps of sugar and some salt. When the tomato juice evaporates, turn off the fire. Mince the parsley and add to the mixture. Place some of the mixture over each one of the eggplants, after having opened the eggplants a little. Garnish each one with a piece of red bell pepper. Cover the oven tray with aluminum folio and bake again for 10 minutes on a 200º preheated oven.

Baked Kibbeh (Sini Köftesi)

500 g ground meat * 1 onion * 1 1/2 cup thin bulgur * 1 tbsp tomato paste * 1 tsp chili flakes * 1 tsp black pepper * 1 tsp cumin * salt

Mince the onion. Place the bulgur in hot water for 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix very well the ground meat with the bulgur (after draining all the water), the onion, the tomato paste, the salt and the spices. Place this mixture in a greased oven tray and bake on a 180º preheated oven for 20 minutes. Cut into squares and serve hot.

Raw Köfte (Çiğ Köfte)

100 g ground veal * 200 g thin bulgur * 5 garlic cloves * 30 g onion * 150 g pepper paste * 50 g tomato paste * 1 tsp dry mint * 1 tsp cumin * 1 tsp black pepper * 1 tsp allspice * 3 tsp red pepper * 100 g green onion * 100 g parsley

Mix the bulgur with the pepper and tomato pastes and with the spices. Add the meat and mix very well. Mince the onion, the garlic and the green onion very thin and add to the mixture. Knead very well with the hands for 3-5 minutes. Give an oval shape with the hands to small amounts of the mixture. Serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with lemon slices.

This dish is very much appreciated with Raki, the most popular alcoholic drink in Turkey.

Çiğ köfte seller in Ankara.

The çiğ köfte is shaped at the moment and placed on a very thin bread sheet (lavaş), which is rolled around the çiğ köfte. This is a very common Turkish fast-food.

Çiğ köfte ready to be sold. It can be bought like this also in the supermarkets.

Learn more about çiğ köfte here

Zucchini Patties with Yogurt Sauce (Kabak Mücveri)

For the patties:

3 zucchinis * 1 onion * 1 cup flour * 3 eggs * 1 tbsp minced fresh oreganos * 1 tbsp minced fresh basil * salt * black pepper

For the yogurt sauce:

1 tbsp minced fresh parsley * 2 cups yogurt * 1 cucumber * 1 garlic clove * 2 tsp lemon juice * 1 tbsp minced fresh mint

Prepare the patties. Scrape the zucchinis and the onion. Place in a bowl the flour, the beaten eggs, the onion, the oreganos, the basil, the salt and the black pepper and mix very well. Pour oil in a frying pan and make it hot. For each patty, pour in the frying pan 3 tbsp of the mixture and fry both sides. Place on a paper towel. Prepare the yogurt sauce. Scrape the cucumber, mince the garlic and the mint. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.

This sauce is to be served with the mücver and not to be poured on them. It’s very delicious...

Bulgur Croquettes with Yogurt Sauce (Şark köftesi)

2 cups thin bulgur * 1 1/2 cup hot water * 2 tbsp dried mint * 1 onion * 2-3 tbsp flour * 1 egg white * salt

For the sauce:

1 cup yogurt * 2-3 garlic cloves * 30 g margarine * 2 tsp red pepper

Soak the bulgur in hot water until it gets soft and until all the water evaporates. Add to the bulgur the minced onion, the mint, the flour, the egg white and the salt. Knead well until you get a consistent dough and, if necessary, add some water. Separate portions on the amount of a walnut and give an oval shape to each one. Bring to boil water with salt. Put the croquettes in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Place the croquettes in a serving plate. Prepare the sauce. Mix the yogurt with the minced garlic. Bring to low heat the margarine with the red pepper. Cover the croquettes with the yogurt and then with the margarine. Serve hot.

Zucchini Cake (Kabaklı Börek)

2 eggs * 2 zucchinis * 1 cup yogurt * 1/2 cup olive oil * 1/2 cup flour * 50 g parsley * 50 g fresh dill * 1 cup crumbled feta cheese * 1 tbsp baking powder * 2 tsp black cumin seeds (Nigella Sativa).

Cut the zucchinis in small pieces. Mince the dill and the parsley. Place the flour in a bowl and open an hole in the center. Pour inside the zucchinis, the dill, the parsley, the baking powder, the yogurt and the olive oil and mix all the ingredients very well. Place the mixture on a greased oven tray with 25 centimeters length. Pour on the black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa). Bake on a 180º preheated oven for 20 minutes. Cut in small squares and serve.