Simit

Simit -

Simit is a fast food bread sold in the streets of Turkey by vendors. It is often eaten as a breakfast food with jam or yogurt. Simit is also great by itself!

Simit is light and flaky, baked to a golden brown color, and topped with sesame seeds. It is sometimes formed into rings, and are often braided.

Ingredients:

For the Dough: 
3  + 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeasts
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup warm water
about 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 + 1/2 teaspoons salt
About 1 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup molasses (in Turkey: pekmez)
1/2 cup water

For the Topping:
2 cups sesame seeds

Method:

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/4 cup warm water and let stand 10 minutes in a warm place until frothy. Place the flour on the work surface, make a well in the center, and put in the yeast mixture, salt, and 1 cup lukewarm water. Gradually work in the flour to make a stiff dough (you may not need all of the flour). If you have a heavy-duty mixture, it is best to knead 10 minutes with the dough hook. By hand, knead at least 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springy. Put the dough in a buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 2 hours.
Knead the dough a few times on a lightly floured work surface, roll into a log, and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball and let rest under a slightly damp towel about 30 minutes.
Roll each ball into a 14-inch long rope. Hold down one end of the rope with one hand while twisting it with the other. Then form this twisted rope into a long ring, pressing and rolling the overlapping ends together on the work surface with one hand to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet or a work surface (I use marble countertop) and let rest 1 hour.
Dust 4 baking sheets with some cornmeal. Set aside.
Dissolve the molasses in water in a bowl. Put the sesame seeds in a plate and set it next to molasses water. Dip each simit in molasses water first, then in the sesame seeds, making sure the simit is completely and thickly coated with the seeds on all sides.
Place 2 rings on each baking sheet. Take each ring and rotate it gently through your hands, enlarging it into a 7-inch circle. Or, if it is easier for you, let the simit sit on the baking sheet and simply stretch it in all directions. Let the simits rest for 30 minutes or until well puffed.
Preheat the oven to 390F.
Bake 2 baking sheets at at time, about 15 to 20 minutes, until rich brown in color. Simit is best eaten fresh out of the oven. They will be good all day. You can also reheat them wrapped in foil to freshen them.

Turkish pide

Turkish pide -

Pide [Pee-day] is a Turkish bread traditionally cooked in hot clay ovens. The dough is baked on special cookery rocks that can withstand high temperatures. The rocks absorb moisture, giving the bread a crisp base and chewy texture. But you don't need a clay oven to make your own pide. We've created this recipe using standard kitchen appliances.

Ingredients:

500g (3 1/3 cups) plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
375ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water
Olive oil, to grease
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add water. Use a wooden spoon to stir until combined, then use hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Brush a bowl with oil to grease. Place dough in the bowl and lightly coat with oil. Cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
Place a baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 230°C. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half. Flatten slightly with hands. Place each half on separate pieces of floured, non-stick baking paper. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 15 minutes.
With floured hands, stretch each piece of dough into an 18 x 40cm rectangle. Leave on non-stick baking paper. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 10 minutes. Combine sesame and nigella seeds.
Whisk egg yolk and oil in a bowl. Brush the top of each pide with egg mixture. Use floured fingers to make indentations on top and sprinkle with seeds. Remove tray from oven and slide 1 pide onto tray. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with second pide.

Minty lamb flatbreads

Minty lamb flatbreads -

Serve these Turkish-style pizzas for a simple, speedy supper for friends.

Ingredients:

400g lamb mince
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 handfuls mint leaves, half chopped
2 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced
4 small khobez flatbreads or 4 soft flour tortillas (you can buy khobez flatbreads)
4 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt

Method:

Cook the lamb mince for 5-6 mins in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When starting to brown, stir in the garlic and spices, then cook for 2-3 mins more until the mince is brown and there is no liquid left in the pan. Stir in the chopped mint, tomatoes and some seasoning.
Heat the grill to high. Arrange the flatbreads on a baking tray and spread the mince mixture over them. Grill for 2-3 mins. To serve, scatter over the whole mint leaves and drizzle with yogurt.

Spiced lamb & feta gozleme with special tomato sauce

Spiced lamb & feta gozleme with special tomato sauce -

A savoury Turkish pastry that's actually made with bread. Stuff with lamb, feta, raisins and pine nuts and serve with pomegranate dip.

Ingredients:

For the gozleme dough:
7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
1 tsp golden caster sugar
250g plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil

For the filling:
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
500g pack lamb mince
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mild chilli powder
50g raisins
zest 1 lemon
3 spring onions, finely sliced
50g toasted pine nuts
100g feta cheese

For the sauce:
8 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp very finely chopped red onion

Method:

For the dough, mix the yeast, sugar and 175ml lukewarm water in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast, then set aside for 10 mins, or until the liquid starts to froth.
Mix the flour with ½ tsp salt in a big bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the yeasty mixture and olive oil, and mix to a dough. Knead for 10 mins, then put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with oiled cling film. Leave somewhere quite warm until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mince and fry, breaking up lumps as you go, until well browned. Stir in the garlic, spices and raisins, and fry for a few more mins, then turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest, spring onions, pine nuts and seasoning. Set aside to cool a little.
Divide the dough into 4. Working a piece at a time, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 25 x 30cm, without the dough splitting. With a long edge of the pastry laying in front of you, spoon ¼ of the mince on the bottom half – leaving a 2cm border all round. Crumble over ¼ of the feta. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling, folding in and pinching the edges to seal in the lamb. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and brush the gozleme all over with oil.
Cook in batches for 3-5 mins on each side, or until golden and heated through. Quickly mix the tomato ketchup, pomegranate and onion, and serve with the hot, crispy gozleme.

Lahmacun Turkish Pizza

Lahmacun Turkish Pizza -

This Turkish-style pizza is a Turkish flat bread layered with a fresh sauce composed of tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and minced lamb cooked with a flavorful selection of Mediterranean spices. It is normally garnished with fresh salad and a creamy garlic sauce and or a tangy zesty hot red pepper sauce. It is a really light meal, but filling and flavorful. For the best flavor, make the topping the night before you make the pizza.

Ingredients:

For the Lamb Sauce:
 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
 1 yellow onion, chopped
 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
 1/2 teaspoon paprika
 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
 1/2 lemon, juiced
 4 teaspoons olive oil
 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, halved
 1 pound lean ground lamb
 6 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste
 cayenne pepper to taste
 salt to taste

For the Dough:
 3 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
 5 cups all-purpose flour
 2 teaspoons salt
 1/4 cup vegetable oil
 1/2 cup water

For the Garlic Sauce:
 1 cup plain yogurt
 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
 salt and ground black pepper to taste

For the Garnish:
 1 cup shredded green cabbage
 1 cup shredded red cabbage

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the garlic, onion, basil, parsley, mint, paprika, cumin, coriander, diced bell peppers, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until finely chopped. Add the halved tomatoes and process until the mixture is a thick puree.
Place the lamb in the preheated skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the puree and the tomato paste and mix well. Cook and stir until the lamb is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1 cup warm water. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and stir well. Add the vegetable oil and 1/2 cup water to the yeast mixture and pour it over the flour. Use your hands to mix the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with a wet towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Remove the lamb sauce from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature. Prepare the garlic sauce: combine the yogurt, parsley, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and set aside.
Punch the dough down, transfer it to a floured work surface, and cut the dough into 10 portions. Shape each portion into a round. Flatten each round with your hand; use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a 10-inch circle. The dough should be thin, like a crepe. Place the rounds on parchment paper.
Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
Stir the lamb sauce and then spoon it onto a dough round. Spread it thinly to the edges and press down lightly so it sticks to the dough. Bake pizzas on parchment paper-lined baking sheets on the lowest oven rack until the edges are a light tan color, 8 to 10 minutes.
Place on a wire rack to cool. The pizzas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days or in the freezer for three months. To reheat, place the pizzas in a 350 degree F oven (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes.
To assemble the lahmacun, drizzle with garlic sauce, top with shredded cabbage, and roll up to eat. See the Cook's Notes for other garnish ideas.

Note:

Additional condiments include chili sauce, harissa, or Tabasco. In place of the cabbage, you can combine 1 cup lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion.
To assemble, arrange cabbage, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, or onion down one side of the pizza. Drizzle with garlic sauce and hot sauce, and roll up. Eat and enjoy--but watch out for the drip. You won't want to miss a bite!

Hot cumin lamb wrap with crunchy slaw & spicy mayo

Hot cumin lamb wrap with crunchy slaw & spicy mayo -

A healthy kebab flatbread - make double the cabbage and carrot coleslaw and have leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients:

4 small lamb leg steaks
2 tsp olive oil
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 carrots, coarsely grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced
400g/14oz white cabbage, very finely sliced
5 sweet peppadew peppers, 2 roughly sliced
3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 large pitta or flatbreads, warmed

Method:

Heat a griddle pan. Rub the lamb steaks with the oil, cumin and some seasoning. Griddle for about 3-4 mins on each side or until cooked to your liking. Place to one side on a plate to rest.
In a large bowl, stir the sugar into the vinegar until dissolved. Add the carrots, spring onions, cabbage and some seasoning, and toss together.
Blitz the whole peppers and the mayo in a food processor. Add a heap of the salad to each flatbread. Slice the lamb, trimming off any excess fat and lay on top of the salad, drizzling with the resting juices. Spoon over the mayo and scatter with a few of the sliced peppers. Roll up and eat. If using pitta, split and stuff. Serve any extra salad on the side.

Ekmek Turkish Bread

Ekmek Turkish Bread -

Ekmek is a light and slightly sour flatbread that tastes wonderful with Havarti cheese. It uses a starter which ferments for 4 days. I recommend using a pizza stone to bake the loaves on. If you've no pizza stone, cookie sheets will work also. The recipe seems complicated, but it's a lot easier than it appears.

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
 3/4 cup water, divided
 5 teaspoons active dry yeast
 1 teaspoon white sugar
 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
 6 cups bread flour
 2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

To make the starter: Place 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water in a coverable bowl; stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight. The next day, add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to the bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight. On the third day, add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water to the bowl. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight.
To make the dough: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
Break the starter into small pieces and add it to the yeast mixture. Stir in 4 cups of flour and the salt. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough and then cover it with a dry cloth. Let it raise until double in size.
Put the dough back onto a lightly floured work surface and punch out the air. Divide the dough in half and knead each piece for 2 to 3 minutes. Shape each piece into a tight oval loaf. Sprinkle two sheet pans with corn meal. Roll and stretch two loaf until they are 15x12 inch ovals. Dust the tops of the loaves with flour. Cover with a dry cloth and let raise in a warm place until doubled in size. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Mist with water 3 times in the first 15 minutes. Loaves are done when their bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Let cool on wire racks before serving.

STUFFED TURKISH FLAT BREAD

STUFFED TURKISH FLAT BREAD -

The recipe has two types of Turkish gozleme, half filled with fresh herbs and feta and the others with spicy sausage and nutty cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

500 g plain flour
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
200 ml warm water

For the fillings:

small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
small bunch mint leaves, chopped
small bunch dill, chopped
200 g feta cheese, crumbled
3 spicy sausages, such as sujuk or chorizo, sliced
handful grated cheese, such as eski kasar, mature gouda or emmenthal

To serve:

1 lemon, cut into wedges
jar pickled chillies

METHOD:

For the dough:

Sift the flour and a teaspoon of salt together into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour in the olive oil then gradually stir in enough water to make a nice ball of dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Split the dough into six equal balls and leave to rest under a tea towel for an hour.

To make the herb and feta filling:
Mix the parsley, mint and dill with feta in a bowl and add a pinch of black pepper.

To make the sausage and cheese filling:
Mix the spicy sausage and grated cheese in a separate bowl.

Lightly dust a surface with flour and use the longest rolling pin in the house to roll each dough ball out as thinly as possible into a rectangular shape – somewhere round to around 30cm x 40cm.
For each flatbread, fold the top third down towards you to cover the middle third. Fold the bottom third up to cover the middle third too so you have a long rectangle. Add one of the fillings to one half of the rectangle – you can be generous, but be careful not to overfill them.
Brush the edges with water then fold the other half of the pastry over the filling ingredients, pressing it down lightly all over, especially at the edges. Repeat this until you have three of each filling.
Heat a wide frying pan over a medium heat and cook one or two at a time in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes both sides until browned and crisp. Cut in half and serve with lemon wedges and pickled chillies.

Bazlama - Turkish Flat Bread

Bazlama - Turkish Flat Bread -

Bazlama is a simple and delicious village bread. Normally it is cooked in an outdoor oven but it works just as well on the stove top. It's best served warm.

Ingredients:

 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
 1 tablespoon white sugar
 1 tablespoon salt
 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
 1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt
 4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast, sugar, and salt in the warm water. Add the water and yogurt to the flour and mix well. The dough will be soft but not sticky. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and allow it to rise at room temperature for 3 hours.
Cut the dough into four portions. Shape the dough into rounds and flatten each round as though you're making pizza dough. Cover the rounds with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Place one dough round in the skillet and bake until brown spots appear on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip the bread and bake for an additional minute. Remove the bread and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining dough rounds. Store any leftover flatbreads in an airtight container.

Notes:

If you can't find Greek-style yogurt (suzme), use regular yogurt and reduce the water in the recipe to 1 1/4 cups.