Turkish Tomatoes Food

TURKISH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180C (or 350F).
• Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the pulp, reserving the pulp.
• Heat the oil in a pan and saute onions until lightly browned.
• Add tomato pulp and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in eggplant and simmer for 5 minutes until tender.
• Add breadcrumbs, parsley and season to taste.
• Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and beat in cheese.
• Stir in eggs and mix thoroughly.
• Spoon mixture into each tomato shell and arrange in a greased, ovenproof dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes.

TURKISH LAMB PITAS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• For lamb:
• Combine first 13 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl; mix to blend thoroughly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Using moistened hands and 1/4 cup for each, shape lamb mixture into about 20 oval patties measuring approximately 3x1 1/2x1/2 inches. Arrange patties on sheet of foil.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, return patties to foil. Reserve drippings in skillet.
• For sauce:
• Heat drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and allspice. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Stir in pomegranate molasses. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until patties are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer patties to bowl. Tilt skillet and spoon fat off top of sauce. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, mashing tomatoes with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return patties to sauce. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap pitas in foil; bake 12 minutes to heat.
• Simmer patties in sauce until heated through; mix in green onions. Cut pitas in half; gently open each half. Place 1 or 2 patties and some sauce into each pita half and top with dollop of yogurt.
• *A thick pomegranate syrup that is available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets.

TURKISH KEBABS WITH TOMATO CHILLI SAUCE

Steps:

• Crush 1 garlic clove and mix with 3 tbsp yogurt, the lemon juice, 1 tsp tomato purée, half the spices, and some seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, toss, cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hr or overnight.
• Make the chilli sauce. Put 100g of the tomatoes, the whole red chilli, the remaining spices, garlic clove and tomato purée, plus 1 tbsp olive oil, half the red onion and the pomegranate molasses in a food processor. Add some seasoning and pulse until puréed, then set aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, and heat a griddle pan. Thread the chicken onto metal skewers or wooden ones that have been soaked, then wipe off the excess marinade. Skewer the remaining tomatoes on a separate skewer. Lightly oil the griddle with the remaining olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides, then transfer to a baking tray and bake in the oven for 10 mins, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, griddle the tomatoes for 1-2 mins, turning halfway through so they have griddle marks on both sides.
• Serve the chicken and tomatoes on flatbreads with the remaining red onion, pickled chillis, the remaining Greek yogurt, parsley and coriander with the chilli sauce spooned over.