Turkish Spinach Food

TURKISH SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse and wash spinach very well to get all the silt off (I use all the spinach including the roots), it takes about 4-5 washes.
• In a large pot heat oil, add onions and saute until soft.
• Add all the ingredients in sequence and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to low heat and cook until the rice is cooked.
• Eat as is or add a couple of tbsp of Garlic-Yogurt sauce and enjoy!
• Garlic-Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup of plain yogurt 2-4 minced garlic (depending on how much garlic you prefer) salt to taste Method: Combine all the ingredients and serve over your meal.

ISPANAK KAVURMA (TURKISH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Sauce: Smash the garlic clove with a little bit of salt and combine with the plain yogurt. Set aside.
• In a pot boil the spinach for 3 1/2-4 minutes, drain. Squeeze as much water out of the spinach that you can then chop it on a cutting board. I used the sides of the colander to "chop" the spinach with the back of a wide spoon.
• Saute the onion in a medium sized pot with olive oil and salt until the onions are lightly browned. (Tip: cut down on dishes: use the same pot that was used to boil the spinach.).
• Add the spinach, crushed tomatoes, nutmeg, broth and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Turn the heat off. Allow mixture to cool down for a few minutes.
• Arrange spinach on a platter. Place the yogurt sauce on top.
• Garnish: heat up the olive oil in a small pan, add in the red pepper and then turn the heat off being careful not to burn!
• Drizzle the infused red pepper over the yogurt sauce.

SPINACH AND CHEESE TURKISH PIDES

Steps:

• Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat,add garlic and spinach. Cook,stirring for 30 - 60 seconds until spinach just wilts.
• Transfer to bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
• Add the scallions, ricotta, feta, pine nuts and breadcrumbs to the spinach. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 200°C Lightly grease two large baking trays.
• Cut pizza dough into four. Roll out to a 25cm oval shape.
• Spoon filling onto centre of each oval, fold in sides and twist ends (don't totally enclose the filling - the shape should look sort of like boats).
• Place onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Spray lightly with oil.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

TURKISH BOREK RECIPE (SIGARA BOREK)

Steps:

• First, know that yufka, like phyllo dough, is delicate and might break. That's completely okay.
• To make the spinach filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute onion until golden, add spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted. Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, mix it with cheese, salt and pepper.
• To make potato filling: Wash and peel the potato. Cut it into large chunks and boil until fork tender. Mash the potato completely and add Aleppo pepper, salt and black pepper.
• To make the cheese filling: Mix cheese with parsley, salt and pepper.
• Place a triangle shaped yufka dough on a clean surface, with the wide side facing you. Wet your finger with water and moisten the edges. This will help the edges to stick while rolling.
• Add one to two tablespoon of filling one inch away from the wide edge and form it into a thin log.
• Fold the outer corners over the filling and roll the borek. Dip your index finger in water and wet the edges again and roll tightly. Set aside and continue with the remaining yufka and filling.
• Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a non stick pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the boreks in the oil and fry on all sides until crispy and golden. Don't over crowd the pan. Place the boreks on a kitchen paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
• Continue with the remaining boreks and add more oil if needed.

TURKISH SPINACH AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils.
• Bring them to a boil in the beef broth.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, cayeene, bay leaves and bulgur.
• Stir the mixture on medium heat until the onions and bulgur are lightly browned.
• Mix in the parsley and tomatoes.
• When the tomatoes begin to give up their juice, gently stir in the tomato paste. Pour the lentils and their liquid into the soup pot with the onions and bulgur.
• Simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
• Add the rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. If the lentils and bulgur have absorbed too much liquid, add more broth, water or tomato juice. Remove the bay leaves.
• Just before serving, stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt in the hot soup.
• Garnish with more fresh parsley.
• NOTES : Serve this soup with crusty bread.
• Broil the bread on both sides, rubbed with a cut garlic clove, and drizzled with olive oil.

TURKISH SPINACH & FETA BOREK

Steps:

• To make the filling: Fry the onion in the olive oil on a medium heat for a few minutes until a pale golden colour. Add the salt & pepper, followed by the spinache & cook for a further couple of minutes. Remove from the heat & stir in the feta then set aside to cool.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil & milk.
• Grease a 2L casserole dish. Place 2 sheets of the phyllo in the bottom of the casserole - the phyllo should cover the bottom & the sides of the casserole. Brush 2-3 tbsp of the eggy mix over the top of the phyllo.
• Take another 2 sheets of phyllo, this time folding them so that they cover the bottom of the casserole only & brush with the eggy mix.
• Spread the spinach & feta filling over the phyllo & level gently with the back of a spoon.
• Cover the filling with another 2 sheets of phyllo, remebering to brush with the eggy mix. Contine layering the phyllo until it is used up. When you have used the last 2 sheets of phyllo, brush with the eggy mix then gently pull up the bottom sheet of phyllo & place it over the top sheet.
• Use the rest of the eggy mix to cover the top of the borek - this is important to stop it from burning.
• Place in the fridge to set for 3 hours then cook in a preheated oven at 1750c / 350f. Bake in the middle of the oven until it is golden brown.

TURKISH BOREK RECIPE

Steps:

• Make spinach filling. Combine the spinach, onion, spices, and herbs in sauce pan and cook for 5 minutes, just long enough to warm and combine ingredients. Let cool and drain excess liquid.
• Make egg wash for pastry. Beat eggs and add in sunflower oil and yougurt. Set aside.
• Decide on layering technique, and start layering your yufka or pastry dough, brushed with egg mxture, then spinach.
• Brush the remainder of egg wash on top and sides of borek, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until browned.
• Remove from oven and serve warm.