Ottoman Foods and Recipes

Turkish Ravioli (Manti)

Manti is one of my favorite Turkish traditional dishes. Manti is very popular and common in Turkey. It takes time to prepare, but it’s really worth of your time! You should try it to taste a real Turkish flavor. Preparing manti is very fun and easy if you make it a team work.

3-3 ½ cups flour
1 egg
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp salt to taste

Filling:
½ lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped/shredded
½ tsp salt to taste
½ tsp black pepper

For cooking:
8 cups water
1 tsp salt

Sauce:
2 cups yogurt
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt to taste
3-4 tbsp butter/oil
1 tbsp tomato paste/2/3 tsp paprika
2-3 tbsp water
Dried mint
Sumac

In a bowl place the flour, crack the egg and add the salt and water. Then knead till you get a firm and smooth dough. Knead for about 8-10 minutes. Make sure to make it firm to flatten easily later. Cover it with a damp towel or cloth and leave for a rest (15-30 minutes).
Meanwhile in a plate mix all the filling ingredients and set aside.
Divide the dough into 2-3 pieces, take one piece and place on the floured counter. Cover the rest of the dough. Then with a rolling pin flatten the dough as thin as you can (as thick as the ridge of a knife). Then, cut it with a knife or roulette into ¾ inch (1 ½-2 cm) square pieces Then place ¼ tsp filling over each square Then stick the both traverse edges diagonally, by pressing with your finger tips . Do the same procedure for the remaining dough.
For cooking, boil the water in a big pot and add salt. Then add all the manti into the boiling water. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent them sticking to each other. Make sure not to close the lid. Cook over medium heat till manti gets soft (for about 10-15 minutes).
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. In a bowl mix yogurt, salt and garlic. In a small pan; melt the butter/oil and stir in tomato paste and water. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat. If you prefer using paprika, just add paprika into melted butter/oil and turn the heat off after one minute. Do not add water while using paprika.
Drain the cooked manti and transfer it into serving plates. Let it cool for a while and pour the yogurt sauce over. Finally pour about one tbsp of butter/oil mixture all over (adjust the amount as you like). And if desired sprinkle some dried mint and sumac over the Turkish Ravioli.
This recipe makes 6-7 servings.
ENJOY

Ottoman Empire Yogurt Soup

Ingredients

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 quart chicken stock
* 1 cup barley
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 3 cups plain yogurt
* 2 large egg yolks
* 1 small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
* 1 teaspoon paprika (or traditional Kirmizi biber or Aleppo pepper if available)

Directions

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot. Just as the foam subsides, add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to prevent lumps. Pour in the chicken stock and continue to stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then add the barley and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low flame, cover, and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the barley is tender.

In a large mixing bowl, blend together the yogurt and egg yolks until smooth.

After the barley has softened, lower the heat and gradually whisk the yogurt mixture into the barley and cook just until it is ready to boil.

For the finishing touch, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a saute pan. When the butter is foamy, mix in the mint and paprika. Let this turn golden and stir it into the soup. Serve the soup piping hot.

Lady's Thigh Kofte (Kadinbudu Kofte)

1 lb ground beef
1big onion, chopped
½-1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup rice, washed and drained
1 cup hot water
1 tsp+ ½ tsp salt to taste
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper

For Frying:
½ cup canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup flour

Boil rice in a cup of hot water and add ½ tsp salt. Leave it to cool.
Cook 2/3 of ground beef in skillet till its color turns to brown over medium heat. Then, stir in onion and the remaining salt. Cook till onions get soft over low heat (3-4 min.). Finally, stir in the parsley and the spices and turn the heat off.
In a large bowl mix the cooked ground meat mixture, rice and the remaining raw ground beef. You can knead with your hands if you like.
Cover the mixture and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Take egg size pieces and make egg shapes and flatten with your hands (the shape in the picture). In a frying pan, sizzle oil. Place flour in a wide plate. In another plate beat the eggs. First dip the koftes in flour, make sure the koftes to be covered evenly with flour. Then dip into egg and fry both sides until they get lightly golden brown.
For a thicker coating; after dipping into egg, again dip into the flour and then fry.
This recipe makes about 10-14 Lady’s Thigh Kofte.

Cream-Stuffed Apricots

lb (450 gr) dried apricots

½ cups (450 gr) sugar

3 cups (750 ml) water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 lb (450 gr) heavy whipped cream or kaymak
(thick Turkish cream)

¾ cup (150 gr) pistachio nuts, grated

Soak apricots in cold water overnight. Drain. Heat sugar and water together over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add apricots and cook until apricots are tender and the liquid becomes a syrup. Add lemon juice, cook for one minute. Remove from heat. Transfer apricots with a perforated spoon on to a plate. Allow to cool.

Cut open the apricots. Fill the inside with kaymak or whipped cream. Arrange apricots side by side on a platter. Gradually pour over them as much syrup as the apricots can absorb.

Garnish with grated pistachio nuts.

12 servings
"Turkish Cooking" by Gülseren Ramazanoğlu

enjoy your meal