Description
by Tuba Tunc
Abagannuc
A classic summer meze (starter) in Turkey, a cool and refreshing mix of smoky roasted eggplant, roasted peppers, tomato, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, garnished with parsley and served with with pita chips.
Spinach & Feta Borek
The quintessential savoury Turkish treat, delicate & flaky yufka dough (a paper thin pastry that’s a little thicker than phyllo) is wrapped around a luscious filling of spinach, feta, ricotta and caramelized onions, enriched with eggs and yogurt, and generously glazed with melted butter before being baked until golden.
Manti (beef –or– veg)
An ancient Turkic dish that can be found in various forms along the full length of the Silk Road from Mongolia to Anatolia, Korea to Afghanistan — Turkey alone boasts 15 officially recognized versions. The ancestor of stuffed pastas like tortellini, Turkish manti are comprised of a thin, olive oil and egg-enriched wheat dough hand-formed into little bundles stuffed with either beef or lentils mixed with onions and spices. The little dumplings are first baked to dry them, and then boiled before being served with a garlicky yogurt sauce, lashings of paprika-infused butter, sumac, crumbled dry mint, and ruby-red dusting of dried urfa & chili peppers.
Labneh & Plum Cheesecake Cups
And elegant modern take on classic Turkish flavours. Crumbled hazelnut cookies and butter make a rich crumbly base that supports a luxurious mix of labneh (strained yogurt cheese), milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla, topped with a tart summer plum compote.