In the mood for Turkish food
Flaky borek, succulent lamb and syrup-soaked almond cake take you to Istanbul
A few years ago, quite unexpectedly, I spent a glorious 24 hours in Istanbul because of a flight delay.
Fortunately, I was able to contact a well-known Turkish food expert, Gamze Ineceli, who was born and raised in Istanbul. We had a mutual friend but had never met. She kindly offered to show me around the city.
What followed was a whirlwind tour of Istanbul. We traipsed through mosques and markets for hours, hitting all of the famous sights.
Happily, we also wandered to various off-the-grid food destinations, stopping frequently to taste local specialties. We sipped ice-cold glasses of anise-scented alcoholic raki and nibbled on mezze, assorted little plates of savory fare. It was an extraordinary introduction to Turkish culture.
Back home, I longed for Turkish flavours, so I put together a meal for a group of friends.
All these dishes can be prepared in advance.
Spinach and Feta Borek Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 lb baby spinach or other cooking greens, sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons 1 cup chopped parsley 1 cup chopped fresh dill 6 scallions, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup) 1 tsp dried oregano 4 eggs, beaten Salt and black pepper 1/2 tsp Maras pepper or red-pepper flakes 8 oz crumbled feta (about 2 cups) 4 oz grated Manchego or other sheep’s milk cheese (1 cup) 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed 6 sheets phyllo dough Heat oven to 350 F. Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine spinach, parsley, dill, scallions, oregano and eggs and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper, then add Maras pepper, feta and Manchego, and stir well.
Brush a 10-inch pie plate or skillet with lightly with olive oil. (You can also use a 9-by-13-inch pan for a rectangular pie.) Line with 1 sheet of phyllo, letting the excess fall over the sides of the pan. Brush phyllo lightly with olive oil, then follow with 2 more sheets, brushing each with oil.
Pour the filling into the phyllolined pan, spreading it to the edges with the back of a spoon. Top with 3 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with olive oil before adding the next.
Fold the ends of the phyllo back over the top and toward the centre of the borek, and brush with oil. With the palm of your hand, press down on top layer to make the pie compact. (Alternatively, roll the excess toward the centre to form a rim.)
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges. Can be served at room temperature.
Slow-Roasted Turkish Lamb Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 (3- to 4-lb) boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed of excess fat Salt and black pepper 1/2 tsp Maras pepper or red-pepper flakes (optional) 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional) 2 large thyme sprigs 1 small rosemary sprig 4 bay leaves 8 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 small onion, peeled and halved 3 or 4 firm persimmons, peeled and sliced (optional) 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional) 2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, some leaves reserved 2 tbsp roughly chopped mint, some leaves reserved 1 lemon, cut into wedges Plain yogurt, for serving Heat oven to 350 F. Cut lamb shoulder into 2 or 3 pieces, and place in a shallow 12-by-14-inch roasting pan or similar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with red pepper, if desired.
Rub meat with olive oil, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Tuck thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves and onion halves here and there. Place in oven, uncovered, and roast for 30 minutes or until the top is nicely browned.
Turn meat browned-side down and add 2 cups of water to the pan. Cover tightly with foil or lid. Reduce heat to 325 F. Cook, covered, until meat is fork tender and beginning to fall apart, about 3 1/2 hours total. Uncover during last 30 minutes of cooking if you want to brown the meat a bit more.
Remove meat to a cutting board. Pour pan juices into a skillet (discard herbs and garlic). Skim and discard excess fat from surface. Bring to a boil and simmer until about a cup remains.
Chop or shred meat into 1-inch chunks or rough slices. Transfer to a warm platter and pour juices over. (Alternatively, leave meat in pan with reduced juices until ready to serve.)
Garnish with persimmon and pomegranate (if using), parsley, mint and lemon wedges. Serve yogurt on the side.
Rice Pilaf with Pumpkin, Currants and Pine Nuts Yield: 6 to 8 servings
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups pumpkin or hard squash, such as butternut, cut into 1/2-inch chunks Salt 1 medium onion, diced 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup currants 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 cups Bomba, Arborio or long-grain white rice, rinsed well and drained 3 cups hot chicken broth or water 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pumpkin, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until pumpkin begins to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving oil in pot.
Add onion and cook, stirring, until quite brown, about 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and let them brown a bit. Add currants, pepper, allspice and cinnamon.
Stir in rice and cook 2 minutes more, making sure rice is well coated with oil. Add broth or water and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a low simmer. Taste broth and adjust for salt — it should be well seasoned. Add reserved pumpkin, cover with lid, and cook over very low heat until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off heat, and let rice steam with lid on 10 to 15 minutes. Add butter and fluff rice gently.
Almond Cake with Saffron and Honey Yield: 8 to 10 servings For the cake:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for greasing the pan 1/2 cup fine semolina flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup finely ground blanched almonds, or substitute almond meal 1 1/2 tsp baking powder Pinch of kosher salt 4 eggs, beaten Zest of 1 orange Zest of 1 lemon 1/2 tsp almond extract
For the syrup:
1 cup orange juice 3/4 cup sugar 2 tbsp honey 6 whole cloves 6 cardamom pods 1 (1-inch) piece cinnamon stick Pinch of crumbled saffron (optional) 12 dried apricots, softened in boiling water and drained Heat oven to 350 F. Butter a 10-inch diameter cake pan and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the semolina, sugar, almonds, baking powder and salt. Whisk in eggs and melted butter. Add the orange and lemon zests and almond extract and beat well. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Invert onto a wire rack and let cool.
As cake cools, make the syrup: Put orange juice, sugar, honey, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron and apricots in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar, and then simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Set aside. Transfer cake to a serving plate. Use a skewer to poke holes all over and slowly pour syrup evenly over cake. Once the syrup has cooled slightly, arrange the spices and apricots on top of the cake to your liking. Leave cake for at least an hour to fully absorb syrup, or wrap and store in a cool place (don’t refrigerate) for up to 5 days.