Κουζίνα

Οθωμανική;

Τούρκικη;

Πολίτικη;

Ottoman Cuisine

Popularity of the word “Ottoman” in culinary Refers to history and geography Palace, elitism, extravaganza, spectacle Perfection of cooking, banquets, table of the

sultans Variety of ingredients and secret of spices

Ottoman Cuisine

Oriental mystery?? – No!!

Let’s take it simple…

Ottoman Cuisine – a mixture

Nomadic lifestyle Adoption of Islam Arabic and Persian influence Byzantium and Balkans Spice Road and trade Importance of the food and the cook

Turkish Cuisine… where and what

Equals to Ottoman or Istanbul? Aegean: similar to Greek cuisine Central Anatolia: pastries, pourgouri,meat,

potato, beans, yoghurt, butter East/South-East: meat, lentil, tomato, spice,

butter Black Sea: Fish, corn, cabbage, beans Thrace and Marmara: dairy products, lamb,

cereals

and… how to eat?

A simple menu: Appetizer, soup, meat dish served with rice, a cold dish, dessert and coffee or tea followed by fruit.

Salty breakfast: Olives in the morning?? Eating together, not alone… Coffee or tea? Alcohol is forbidden, right? Where are the long Mediterranean dinners?

Recipes…

Ezme (crushed spicy tomato salad) Yayla Çorbası (Yoghurt Soup) Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight) Çoban Kavurma (Shepherds Casserole) Pilav (Pilafi – rice) Pazı Borani (Σέσκουλο Borani) Künefe

Ezme (crushed spicy tomato salad)

2 onions 2 green peppers 2 tomatoes 1-2 cloves of garlic Parsley Dill Fresh mint Red pepper paste Oregano Salt, pepper,chilly pepper, lemon juice, olive oil

Ezme (crushed spicy tomato salad)

Peel the tomatoes Remove the seeds of tomatoes and green

peppers Finely chop or process all vegetables Make sure that you drain the juice of the

vegetables and discard it Add red pepper paste, olive oil, lemon juice,

chilly, oregano, salt and pepper Mix them all in a bowl and serve

Yayla Çorbası (Yoghurt soup)

¼ cup of rice 5 glasses of water (can be mixed with chicken

stock) 2 tablespoons dried mint 2 cups of plain yoghurt 1 egg 2 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon salt

Yayla Çorbası (Yoghurt soup)

Boil rice in 5 glasses of water with salt until (very) soft. In a bowl, beat the egg and flour well, then stir in the

yogurt. Thin mixture with 1-2 tbsp water. Put the yogurt mix in a pot and start cooking. It's important

that you start with low heat, otherwise yogurt would curdle. Give yogurt some time to adjust to heat. Cook on low heat for approximately 15 minutes and keep stirring.

Slowly pour in rice along with water into the soup. Keep stirring. First let it boil in medium heat and then finish cooking in low heat for another 10 minutes.

Heat butter in a pan. Once it sizzles, add mint and stir for 20-30 seconds (don't let it burn). Then, pour it into soup.

Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

500 gr boneless lamb 2 tablespoons butter 2 onions 2 tomatoes 2,5 glasses hot water 5 aubergines 1,5 tablespoon flour 1,5 glass milk Salt and oregano 1 tablespoon vinegar or wine 2 tablespoons grated yellow cheese

Hünkar Beğendi (Sultan’s Delight)

Chop the meat and cook until it has absorbed all liquids Add finely chopped onions and butter Add vinegar or wine Add grated tomatoes, oregano, hot water and salt. Cook the

meat until it tender. Grill the aubergines. Peel and leave them in water with lemon

for 5 mins. Process them - or cut them into small pieces. Heat butter in a pan. Add flour and bake it until golden. Add milk

while you stir the mixture. Add aubergines and leave to cook for a couple of minutes.

Add cheese, salt and stir quickly Serve the aubergine mixture and place the meat sauce on top

Çoban kavurma (shepperd’s casserole)

1 kg boneless lamb 3 onions 3 green peppers 2 cloves garlic 2 tomatoes Olive oil Oregano, salt, pepper

Çoban kavurma (shepperd’s casserole)

Chop the meat Chop onions and peppers in rings Crush the garlic Place in a pot and cook for 5 mins stirring Add a bit of oregano and pepper and let

simmer for about 1 - 1,5 hour Peel the tomatoes and cut them in small

cubes. Add tomatoes and salt 10-15 mins before the dish is cooked.

Add some extra oregano before serving

Pilav (Pilaf – rice)

1 cup rice 2 glasses hot water/stock Butter, salt, sugar, half a lemon

Soak the rice in water for half an hour and then drain it

Heat the butter in a large pan. Add the rice. Cook the rice for 5 mins. Add sugar and salt. Add hot water and the juice of half a lemon Close the lid and leave it until it’s cooked. Do not stir

at all. Pilaf will be ready when rice has absorbrd all liquids.

Pazı Borani (Σέσκουλο Borani)

1 kg seskoulo/spinach 4 cups of strained yoghurt 4 cloves of garlic 2 onions Butter Red pepper

Pazı Borani (Σέσκουλο Borani)

Wash and chop the greens Boil water in a pot, add salt and the greens Drain after 10 minutes Once cool, make orange-sized balls Heat the butter in a pan and add finely chopped

onions. Cook until golden. Add the greens. Mix yoghurt with garlic in a bowl., Serve the greens, add yoghurt mixture on top Heat some more butter in a pan and add red pepper.

Dress the dish with this sauce.

Künefe

250 gr kadaifi 50 gr string cheese (a mild, rubbery, non-

salty cheese – alternatively mozzarella or ανθότυρο)

Butter Sugar Water

Künefe

Chop the kadaifi Heat 1,5 tbsp butter in a pan and fry the kadaifi till

golden Layer a tray with half of the kadaifi pressing by hand Add a layer of cheese and finish with the rest of the

kadaifi. Put it in the oven. When one side is cooked, reverse

it and resume baking Prepare a sweet syrup with 2 glasses of water and 2

tbsp sugar Add the syrup on künefe before you serve. You can dress it with pistacchio