expatriate-turkey

Baklava is “the” oriental dessert par excellence. Baklava is very popular among Turkish pastries. We can define it as the national dessert, but in reality, it is a dessert that is widespread throughout all Middle Eastern countries. The recipe that I propose is slightly simplified compared to that of my mother, as I use purchased phyllo dough (called “yufka” in Turkish), while she, on the other hand, kneaded it lovingly by hand. Before we get started, get yourself a large, shallow pan. I use an aluminium one, which can also be used for making pizza by the slice (hello, multiculturalism!). The very first thing we need to do is make…

Biber Dolmasi or Stuffed Turkish Peppers (Biber Dolması), please find below the recipe : Here is the Turkish recipe for biber dolması, that is, stuffed peppers. I want to share with you a dish that is cooked in all Turkish homes, the biber dolması. Now I imagine your expressions because you will think that even in Italy, there are regions where the tradition of stuffed pepper exists, as in Sicily for example. Surely in all Mediterranean countries we find a similar dish, but each country always brings something new, its own touch, a variation, which certainly makes it “different” in some respects. I will explain my mother’s recipe to you,…

Yogurtlu bulgur koftesi or bulgur meatballs with yogurt is a typical dish from the Turkish hinterland. It is one of those dishes that reminds us of our Asian origins in the steppes. The use of yogurt takes us directly back to our Asian past. Yogurtlu bulgur koftesi or bulgur meatballs with yogurt, despite the elaborate name, is a very simple dish to make. The ingredients to prepare Yogurtlu bulgur koftesi Here are the ingredients to prepare Yogurtlu bulgur koftesi, use a glass as a measuring cup. 2 glasses of fine bulgur wheat (bulgur can be found in hypermarkets or in some Turkish shops) 2 glasses of hot water 1 egg…

Here is the recipe for Ezogelin. In its varied culinary landscape, Turkey is also the country known for its many soups. In this article I will give you the recipe for delicious Ezogelin soup and I will explain how to prepare it. This soup, on a par with the mercimek çorbasi, is one of the most popular and appreciated. Ingredients for the ezogelin recipe Here are the ingredients for the ezogelin recipe. Use a glass of water as a measuring cup. 1/4 cup of rice 1/2 of bulgur 1 glass of red lentils 1/2 golden onion tomato paste (one teaspoon) 1 clove of garlic 1 teaspoon of pepper, paprika and…

Eggplant Caviar or Tahinli Patlıcan Ezmesi Here is another delicious meze to prepare all year round, the aubergine caviar (Tahinli Patlıcan Ezmesi) is a real treat for your evenings with friends, perhaps to be enjoyed with a nice background of Turkish music. It is one of my favourites and I enjoy it when I go visit my aunts, who are really good at preparing this eggplant specialty. The ingredients for eggplant caviar Here are the ingredients for the preparation. 2 eggplants 2 small cloves of garlic Juice of 1/2 lemon About 20 gr of tahini (sesame cream) Salt Olive oil Fresh parsley How to make eggplant caviar (Tahinli Patlıcan Ezmesi)…

Today I will explain how to prepare gözleme, which we can compare in some respects to crepes. In Turkey they are widespread and very popular. There are many types, the classic ones are with minced meat or with spinach and beyaz peynir (cheese similar to Greek feta), while the more “modern” ones have many different ingredients inside. The dough must be worked out with a rolling pin. In Turkey, oklava is used, which is a long rolling pin, since the dough must be finely spread and extended. I also add that the real gözleme was made without yeast (my mom, an expert in starchy food, didn’t use yeast and made…

How to make kuru fasülye or white beans How to make kuru fasülye or white beans. This dish is a great classic of our Turkish cuisine. There is no house where she doesn’t prepare regularly, mine included. Every now and then I add some stew meat, with the addition of potatoes. Everyone in the house loves it. I often also prepare pirinç pilavı (https://www.ilsalottoturco.com/il-pirinc-pilavi-una-meraviglia-di-semplicita/), which together with this soup, becomes a real delight that makes me go back to childhood and the old flavours of Turkish cuisine. The ingredients Here are the ingredients to prepare kuru fasülye or white beans. 250 gr of white beans (for 3-5 people) 30 gr…

How to prepare Pide ekmegi, a delicious homemade bread Pide ekmeği is one of the pillars of Turkish cuisine. It’s a real treat! It accompanies almost all “meze” appetizers and main dishes, soups, such as mercimek çorbası, meat and fish. In this article I will tell you about how to make pide bread. Pide is a very easy bread to prepare, its scent will make you feel as if you were in Turkey, as every Turkish house takes price in eating this type of bread. Ingredients Here are the ingredients to prepare pide ekmeği. 15 gr of fresh yeast 500 grams of flour   50 grams of olive oil 120…

Today I will explain how to prepare tasty köfte (the pillar of Turkish cuisine), which I invite you to taste in lavaş bread and iced ayran. Ingredients Below you will find the ingredients you will need to prepare the tasty “köfte” meatballs (Köfte means meatballs, or did you already know that?) Ingredients 1/2 kg of minced veal 1 egg 1/2 onion 2 cloves of garlic 30 gr of breadcrumbs or fresh crumbs 5 gr of tomato paste 10 gr salt Parsley to taste Chili pepper to taste Paprika to taste Cumin to taste TIP: I prepare a mix of spices in a small glass, which I then add to my…

In this article I will tell you about how to prepare simit, I assure you that it is a very simple recipe. Those of you who have already visited Turkey will remember the scent of simits, which are sold everywhere in Turkey! These are those circular baked goods covered with sesame (similar to bread but with a slightly sweeter flavour). In Turkey, we eat simits for breakfast, as a snack or instead of bread. As a child, I often ate them during the day, especially when I was walking around Istanbul with my brothers. In the morning, however, I preferred another specialty, açma, whose dough is more similar to that…