Vegetable Borek

(Sebzeli Borek)

7 sheets Phyllo Pastry
2L pyrex casserole dish

Vegetable Filling:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sized eggplant,Cut into bite sizes. Soak in water with a
tablespoon of salt for about 20 minutes. Squeeze the eggplants with
your hand and dry them with a paper towel.
1 zucchini, cut in bite size
1 onion, sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta or ricotta cheese
2 tbsp dill, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt
Black pepper

Sauce:
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yoğurt
2 eggs
1 pinch salt

To prepare the Filling: Put the salt, pepper, olive oil and onion in a pan. Cook on medium heat for two minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini and continue cooking until they are tender. Put aside and add the feta cheese, parsley and dill, stir.

In a bowl, mix the eggs, olive oil and yoğurt. This liquid mix will go between every two layers. The vegetable filling will go in the middle only.

Grease the casserole dish. Place two sheets of the pastry in the bottom and over the sides of the dish. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce mix on top. Take another two sheets of pastry, fold in half and stack in the dish. First spread some sauce. Then, spread all of the filling onto the stack. Resume layering the pastry and the sauce until the pastry is finished. Then, fold the sides of the bottom layer over. Make sure you pour the remaining sauce on top.

Leave the casserole dish in the fridge for 2-3 hours, this way it will be more crispy and tasty. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Bake until golden colour.

This recipe goes well with Ayran on the side. You can have it as a main dish or with afternoon tea as a snack.

4 servings.

Turkish Zucchini Soup

(Kabak Corbasi)

1 large zucchini, washed, cut in small cubes
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water or chicken broth
2 tbs butter
2 tbsp flour, all purpose
1 cup milk
a pinch of nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
Dill
Feta cheese

In a medium pot, saute the onion with olive oil, salt and pepper for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the zucchini continue to saute for about 1 or 2 more minutes. Then, add the water or chicken broth. Cook until the zucchinis are tender. Use the immersion blender to puree. Put it aside.

Meanwhile melt the butter at low-medium heat in the same pot. Add the flour and nutmeg, stir. Slowly pour the milk in it while stirring constantly. Now add the blend zucchini, stir slowly. Cook for about 10 minutes at low heat. Stir occasionally.

Immediately pour into individual bowls. Sprinkle some dill and feta cheese over the tops and serve.

2 servings.

Maklube

~350 gr lamb, cut in cubes
1 cup hot water -for lamb
1 1/2 cup rice, rinsed
1 large onion, peeled, cut in round slices
2 medium size white potato, peeled, cut in round slices
1 medium size eggplant, peel alternating strips of skin lengthwise, cut in round slices
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt
Pepper
3 cup hot water -for the dish

Sunflower oil for frying

Mixed salad, lemon juice, salt and pepper

Cook the lamb cubes with their juice without oil. Add 1 cup hot water, salt and pepper and cook over low heat until the lamb softens and all the water evaporates. Sprinkle the oregano all over the lambs, turn the heat off.

Saute the rice with butter, salt and pepper. The process that the rice will lightly toast, stir occasionally. Turn the heat off.

Meanwhile, lightly fry the both sides of potatoes with sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Soak the eggplants in 2 cups of water with salt for about 20 minutes. Squeeze and dry them with a paper towel. Then fry the both sides of eggplants with the sunflower oil in a large skillet at high heat. Place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up extra oil.

Arrange all the prepared ingredients in a medium size pot in the following the order starting with the first layer from the bottom;

1. layer = Cover the bottom of the pot with the onions.
2. layer = Cover the onions with the half of the fried potato slices. Season with salt and pepper.
3. layer = Place the half of the cooked lambs all over the potatoes.
4. layer = Cover the lambs with the half of the sauteed rice evenly.
5. layer = Arrange all the fried eggplants top of the rice.
6. layer = Cover the eggplants with the rest of the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
7. layer = Place the rest of the lamb over the potatoes.
8. layer = Spread the rice that is left over the top and press evenly with the back of the spoon.

Pour the 3 cups hot water into the pot from the side slowly. First turn the heat to high when the pot gets warmed up, then, immediately turn the heat down to the low. Cover and cook until all the water evaporates. Let it cool down for 5 minutes.

Cover the large serving plate with the pot, turn it upside down. Do not lift the pot! Season the mixed salad with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Arrange them all around the pot. Then, you can lift the pot:)

Traditionally few spoons of Turkish yoğurt and salad should be placed around the pilaf. I prefer to serve this delicious Pilaf with Ayran instead or yoğurt:)

4 servings.

Eggplant Dip with Pine Nuts

(Cam Fistikli Patlican Salatasi)

1 large eggplant
2 garlic clove, do not peeled
1/3 cup creamy yogurt-see How to Make Creamy (Strained)Yogurt
1 pinch crushed pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper

Garnish:
2-3 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted
1 fresh onion (green onion), only white part, thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil

Before putting in the oven, make holes on the eggplant with a fork so that it will soften and cook better. Then place eggplant and garlic on an oven tray and roast for about 30 minutes on broil. Alternatively, you can barbecue it until softened. Then peel it, remove any hard seeds. After draining, cut into small pieces with a knife with peeled garlic cloves. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a spoon.

Place in service plate sprinkle the pine nuts and fresh onion and drizzle extra virgin olive oil on top and serve.

Chicken Stew With Vegetables

(Sebzeli Tavuk)

Half of chicken, legs and breasts divided, bone in, with skin
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp flour, plain
1 cup hot water
20 flat beans, cleaned, cut in medium size
1 small carrot, peeled, cut in medium size
1 medium size potato, peeled, cut in medium size
1/4 cup frozen sweet peas (wash with warm water, drain)
1 small zucchini, cut in medium size
Salt
Pepper

1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Saute the onion with butter for about 2-3 minutes in a medium sized pot. Place the chicken pieces in a pan, sprinkle the flour all over them. Fry both sides of each piece for about 2 minutes. Pour the hot water to cover the pieces, add the salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes with the lid closed. Add the green beans and carrots. After 5 minutes, add the potato, sweet peas and zucchini and close the lid. Cook for about 15 more minutes.

Sprinkle some oregano and fresh parsley all over the top and serve with any kind of Pilaf on the side.

2 servings.

Happy Ramadan!

Grilled Onion with Pomegranate Paste

(Firinda Nar Eksili Sogan)

Red Onion, cut in 4 or 6
Salt
Pepper
Pomegranate paste

Place the onion in an earthenware plate. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle some Pomegranate Paste all over them.

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Place the oven tray on the middle rack and cook until the onion is tender.