Saçaklı Mantı

1 leaf of Turkish yufka*, first roll it, than cut it into strips about
1 cm wide
1 large chicken breast, skin and bone in
2 cup chicken broth
1 cup chickpeas, canned, rinsed and drained
1 onion, cut in small pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
Salt
Pepper

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain yogurt, in room temperature
2 garlic cloves, mashed with salt

Garnish:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Red pepper
Cayenne pepper

Place the chicken breast in water to cover, add salt and pepper. First bring to boil, then turn the heat down. Simmer the chicken breast for about 20 minutes. Take the chicken out of the stock. Discard the skin and the bones and let it cool down. Tear it apart in medium sized chunks with your fingers.

Saute the onion with olive oil for few minutes. Add the chickpeas,crushed tomato and chicken broth. Cook for about 7-8 minutes over low heat. Now, add the chicken pieces in it, stir.

Meanwhile spread yufka strips all over the oven tray. Preheat the oven 375 F (180 C) and bake until the colour turns to light beige. Place yufka in a serving dish. Pour the cooked chickpeas, chicken with the broth all over them. Yufka should soak the stock.

Mix all the sauce ingredients, spread all over them.. Heat up the olive oil with the peppers, pour all over the dish. If you like sprinkle some dry mint also.

2 servings.

*You should use Turkish Yufka to make Sacakli Manti. Do not use Phillo Pastry:)

Shrimp Saute with Tomatoes

(Domatesli Karides Sote)

250 ggr frozen, peeled and de-veined, thawed Tiger Shrimp
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, mashed with salt
4 tomatoes. peeled, diced
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp basil, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp peppercorn
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Saute the onion with butter. Add the garlic, tomato, sugar, basil, parsley, Bay leaf and peppercorn. Turn the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the sauce gets thicker.

Add the shrimp, salt and pepper, stir. Continue to cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove the Bay leaf and discard it. Serve Shrimp Saute with Tomatoes on Turkish Rice Pilaf .

Makes 2 servings.

Tomato Soup With Rice

(Domatesli Pirinç Çorbası)

2 large tomatoes, grated (cut a piece of skin at the bottom of the tomato and start to grate from there)
3 tbsp crushed tomato, canned
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup rice, short grain, rinsed
2 cup hot water or beef broth
Salt, adjust if use beef broth
Pepper

Garnish:
Parsley, chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
Lemon wedges

Saute the grated tomato, crushed tomato with butter on low-medium heat for about 4-5 minutes in a medium sized pot. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook until the rice in tender on low-medium heat.

Immediately pour into individual bowls. Before serving sprinkle parsley and lemon zest on top. Serve it with lemon wedges.

*Before serve always check the taste, soup may need salt and pepper:)

2 servings.

Meal Ideas:
-Potato Moussaka , Carrot Salad and Sultan's Jello .

Mina / Turkish Shepherd's Pie

Main layer:
4 1/2 slices from a fresh toasting loaf, cut the crusts off

Filling:
250 g. lean ground beef
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, sliced
2 fresh onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 small cubanalle pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1 tsp dry oregano
Salt
Pepper

Potato Puree:
2-3 yellow potatoes, peeled, cut in cub
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup hot milk
Salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch red pepper

Topping:
100 g Turkish Kashar or mozzarella cheese, grated

2 Lt casserole dish (11-7-1.5 inch)

Butter the inside of the Pyrex first. Cover of the bottom with the slices of bread.

Saute the onion with butter for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Then, add the rest of the filling ingredients. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Make sure you don't overcook, otherwise it will be dry. Leave some juice in it. Spread the filling all over the breads equally.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until they are softened. Drain and add the rest of the potato puree ingredients, mash. Cover the filling with the puree using a spatula. Sprinkle Kashar or mozzarella cheese all over the top.

Preheat the oven 400 F (200C). Put the Pyrex dish on the middle rack. Bake until the top reaches golden colour.

2-3 servings.

Eggs with Ground Beef

(Sahanda Kiymali Yumurta)

150 gr medium ground beef
1 small onion, sliced
1 tsp butter
1 egg
Salt
Pepper

Saute the onion with butter for 2-3 minutes over medium heat in small skillet. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper, cook on medium-low heat until all the water evaporates while stirring.

Make room for the egg in the middle. Crack the egg and cover. When the egg white is cooked, take it from the heat. Do not over cook the egg yolk.

Season the egg with salt and pepper. Serve immediately as breakfast or a light meal with freshly baked Turkish bread.

Cauliflower Salad

(Karnabahar Salatasi)

2 servings cauliflower florets

Dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, mashed with salt
1 pinch sugar
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Crushed pepper, as you like

Boil the florets for 8-10 minutes in salted water in a medium-sized pot. Drain and place them in a salad bowl. Whisk all the dressing ingredients. Immediately pour all over them. Garnish the parsley and crushed pepper, toss. Wait until it cools down, then serve.

2 servings.