Chickpea Salad

(Nohut Salatasi)

1 can of chickpeas (540 ml), rinsed
14-15 grape tomato halves
1/4 red onion, sliced
100 gr feta cheese, cut in cubes
8-10 black olives

Dressing:
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dry mint
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
Pepper for taste

Put all the ingredients in a salad bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients and toss.

Peppered Bread

(Biberli Ekmek - Antakya - Mediterranean Region)

~600 g pizza or bread dough

Filling:
1 medium onion, finely chopped*
1/2 red Bell pepper, discard seeds, finely chopped
1 small tomato, discard seeds, finely chopped
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 tbsp red pepper paste, hot
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp olive oil

23 cm (9 inch) pie plate, oiled with 1 tbsp olive oil

Spread the dough in an oiled pie dish with your palm equally. Put aside for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare all the filling ingredients and mix with the spoon. Spread the filling equally all over the dough.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Place the dish on the middle rack and bake for 35-40 minutes.

* If you like, you may saute the onion with olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until it is softened. Don't burn it though!

Chicken Pilaf Wrapped in Pastry

(Kobete)

Half chicken, bone in, with skin, cooked with the water and salt
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1 cup hot chicken broth
2 tbsp butter, or use the fat on the surface of chicken broth
Salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 sheets Phyllo Pastry

Sauce:
1/3 cup milk, warm
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 pinch salt (if you use Turkish yufka, do not use salt)

23 cm (9 inch) pie plate, oiled with butter

Remove the skin and bones, tease out the chicken. Drain the chicken, put aside. Now the chicken broth is ready to use.

Wash the rice several times with warm water and drain. Then cover the rice with hot water and leave out for 15 minutes, drain. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a cooking pot. Saute the rice with butter for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Pour 1 cup of hot chicken broth in it. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and cover. Cook until the rice absorbs all the water. Add the chicken and gently stir with a fork, cover.

Take 2 sheets of the phyllo pastry and place over a plate, leave the sheets hanging over the rim of the plate. Put some sauce with a spoon all over the sheet. Take 2 more sheets and place on top like a plus sign, leave those sheets hanging over the rim of the plate, too. Put some sauce on it. Place the 5th sheet on top along with a few more spoons of the sauce (picture). Then spread the cooked pilaf-chicken filling all over this layer. Arrange the last sheet on top of the filling. Then fold over the sides of the bottom layer (picture). Pour the rest of the sauce over the surface. Put aside for about half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Bake until golden brown, for approximately 20-25 minutes. Leave for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve with Ayran or Compote.