Stuffed Peppers and Tomatoes

(Domates, Biber Dolmasi)

Main ingredients:
6 small cubanelle peppers
(or 4 small Hungarian peppers)
2 large tomatoes
1 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups water

Filling:
225 gr medium ground beef
1/4 cup rice, washed
4 fresh onions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp water
Salt
Pepper

Cut off the tops of the peppers and tomatoes using a small knife, but don't throw them away as you will put them back on after you put in the filling (see picture). Clean out the seeds inside the peppers. Then spoon out the inside of the tomatoes, this will be added to the filling.

Mix all the filling ingredients (including the inside of the tomatoes) with a tablespoon. Stuff the peppers and the tomatoes with a teaspoon, but don't overdo it. Leave some room at the top. While filling the peppers, don't push the filling in, instead tap the peppers vertically on the counter. Then cover the peppers and tomatoes with the tops you cut off earlier.

Place the peppers sideways at the bottom of a large pot. Then put the tomatoes on top. This is because the tomatoes cook faster and thus will fall apart if not placed this way. Now, pour the rest of the main ingredients over (water, crushed tomato and olive oil). Cook on medium-high for about 30 minutes with the lid half covered.

Eggplant Moussaka

(Patlican Musakka - Ottoman Kitchen)

1 large eggplant
200g medium ground beef
1 onion, sliced
1 or 2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cubanelle pepper, diced
2 green onions, chopped
4 tbsp crushed tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sunflower oil

Peel the eggplant skin in strips lengthwise. Cut the eggplant vertically in 3-4 pieces, each about 1 inch thick. Then cut again horizontally, each piece about 2 inches long. Soak in water with a tablespoon of salt for about 30 minutes. Then dry with a paper towel.

Pour the sunflower oil in a large skillet. Fry both sides of the eggplants until the colour turns medium brown. After frying, place the eggplants on a plate with paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Meanwhile, cook the ground beef with the onions, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Then add the red pepper, cubanelle pepper and green onions and cook for about 5-6 more minutes.

Lay out the eggplant pieces in another pan. Put the beef mixture over the eggplants. Pour half a cup of water on top. Cover and cook at medium heat for 15 minutes. Serve Eggplant Moussaka with Pilaf on the side.

*Moussaka basically is the cooking of vegetables chopped into small pieces with small chunks of meat or ground beef and onions.

Moussaka originates from Türkiye and it is a genuine Ottoman cuisine with a wide variety of moussaka choices like Potato Moussaka, Zucchini Moussaka, Cauliflower Moussaka, etc.,

2 servings.

Apricot Dessert

(Kayisi Tatlisi)

250 gr dried apricots
2 cups water

Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Garnish:
Kaymak (thick Turkish cream)
100 gr blanched almond
1/4 cup pistachio nuts, crushed

Soak the apricots in water overnight. Next day boil the syrup, drain the apricots and add into the syrup. Boil for 15 minutes and then let cool.

To serve, spread half a teaspoon of cream and place an almond in each apricot. Garnish with pistachio nuts.

Fava

Main:
2 cups dry fava beans
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 cups water
Salt

Garnish:
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice

The night before you make this recipe, soak the fava beans in water and leave overnight. The following day, peel the beans and discard the peels.

To prepare, place all the main ingredients in a medium-sized pot and cook for about 1.5 hours on medium-low heat. Afterwards, mix in a blender until smooth and put in an inch deep serving bowl. When cold, make cuts in diamond shapes as shown in the picture. Pour some olive oil and lemon juice on top before serving.

If you like, you can add some dill or 2-3 mint leaves before blending fava:)

* This is a vegetarian dish.

Leek in Olive Oil

(Zeytinyagli Pirasa)

1 bunch of leeks, washed and cut, in chunks
1 medium sized carrot, washed and chopped, bite size
75 ml extra virgin olive oil (half for cooking, half for after)
2 tbsp rice, washed
Juice from half a lemon
1 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
Salt

Place all the ingredients except half of the olive oil in a medium-sized pot. If needed, you can add more water. Cover the lid halfway and cook for about 30 minutes on medium-low heat. After cooking, put on a serving dish and pour the remaining olive oil over top. Let cool for a while, then refrigerate. Serve the dish at room temperature or chilled.

* This is a vegetarian dish.