Turkish Almond Cookies

(Acibadem Kurabiyesi)

1 cup ground almond
2 tbsp graham crumbs
1 2/3 cup powder sugar
3 egg whites, lightly whisked

Garnish:
8 almond halves

Place all the ingredients in a medium sized pot. Stir constantly and heat it up with just under medium heat. Do not boil! To measure that the temperature is right is to dip your pinkie in it. It should be warm but shouldn't burn.

Take the pot from the heat and pour it into a heat proof dish. Let it cool down. Meanwhile oil eight 5 cm diameter paper baking cups (I used spray oil). Spoon out the mixture equally into the oiled paper baking cups. Place the almonds on top. Then place the cups on an oven tray.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Then turn down the heat to 240 F (120 C) and put the tray in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes without opening the oven door. If you open the oven door, The Almond Cookies will droop! Let them cool down before serving traditional Turkish Almond Cookies.

Makes 8 Almond Cookies.

Turkish Noodles with Mushrooms

(Mantarli Eriste)

2 servings of large egg noodles
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 large tomatoes, peeled, diced
3 tbsp tomato paste
8-10 medium size mushrooms, cleaned, sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest

Boil the egg noodles and drain. Melt the butter in a cooking pot. Add the noodles, salt, pepper, and toss.

Meanwhile saute the onion with olive oil for a few minutes. Add the garlic when the smell comes out, then add tomatoes, mushrooms, crushed pepper, salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes over medium-low heat.

Place the noddles on a serving dish and pour the mushroom sauce on the top. Sprinkle parsley and lemon zest all over. Serve as a light lunch dish with Radish Salad.

2 servings.

Shrimp Casserole

(Firinda Karides)

250g shrimps, cooked, de-veined and peeled
1 tbsp butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cubanelle pepper, discard the seeds, cut in small cubes
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
Crushed pepper (Red pepper flakes)
Salt
Pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Saute the onion with butter and salt for 3-4 minutes in a medium-sized pan. Add the cubanelle peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes at medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the smell of garlic comes out. Then add the diced tomatoes and shrimp. Cook until the tomatoes are softened a little bit at medium heat.

Place the dish in a flat earthenware pot. Season it both with the pepper and crushed pepper, drizzle olive oil all over it.

Set the oven to grill. Place the pot on the top rack and cook for 5-6 minutes. Serve this classic Turkish hot appetizer in its own pot.

Yogurtlu Kebab

Shish Kofte ingredients:
500 g lean ground lamb or beef
1 small onion, grated
1 egg
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt
2 day old slice of Turkish (French, Italian bread) without the crust; soak into water and squeeze
1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp red pepper, powdered
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed pepper
Salt
Pepper

Tomato Sauce:
1 cup crushed tomato, canned
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup plain Turkish yogurt, plain, room temperature
1-2 garlic cloves, smashed with salt

Garnish:
1 tbsp butter
Red pepper
Cayenne pepper

4 pides, cut in bite size

Mix all the kofte ingredients together with your hands. Take a fist-sized ball and skewer it, starting from the tip of the skewer. Squeeze and flatten it on the skewer going back slowly, so that it is thin and flat to acquire the shape shown in the picture.

Preheat your barbecue or oven (grill). Place the skewers on the rack. Make sure to turn the skewers so that all sides of the meat cooks equally.

Cook the tomato sauce for a few minutes, put aside. Whisk the yogurt sauce ingredients, put aside.

Place pide pieces on serving dishes and arrange the kebabs on them. Pour tomato and yogurt sauce all over. Melt the butter in a small pan and add in the pepper. When the the butter starts bubbling, pour over the Yogurtlu Kebab.

4 servings.

Meal Ideas:
- Roasted Eggplant Salad with Walnuts, Gavurdagi Salad and Cherry Jello Dessert.