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Author Archive | Ozlem Warren

SEBZE receives the Gourmands Best in the World Award! And Öcce Fritters

By on July 4, 2025 in SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes 0

I am absolutely delighted to share that my book SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish Kitchen, received the prestigious Gourmands Best in the World Award in Vegetarian Category!

SEBZE has been my love letter to my homeland’s delicious, diverse, easy to make vegetarian Turkish cuisine; I am so delighted to see wholesome vegetarian Turkish cuisine got this prestigious recognition. With this note, many thanks to all readers to your support for this special book, it gives me so much joy seeing seeing you enjoy cooking from SEBZE; copies can be obtained worldwide here.

Öcce Fritters with Spring Onion and Fresh Herbs

Styled by Esther Clark, during SEBZE photo shoots with Sam A Harris

These delightful, herby Öcce fritters, from my new book, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen,  are a popular specialty in southern Turkiye, especially in the Gaziantep, Kilis and Hatay regions. Locals make them with lots of spring onions (scallions), herbs and fresh garlic, when in season. There are many variations throughout the country, where, for instance, grated courgettes (zucchini) can be added too, as in our popular kabak mücveri. In south, locals use a special öcce pan with hollows, where the batter is poured over to be shallow fried. A regular, non-stick wide pan will work just as well.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. As variations, you could add some grated beets, carrots to the mix for additional crunch. You can use gram/chickpea flour for gluten-free option.

There are 85 delicious, doable, wholesome Turkish vegetarian recipes at my new book SEBZE, many are adaptable for gluten-free too. You can get a copy here worldwide.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem x

SEBZE receives the Gourmands Best in the World Award! And Occe recipe
 
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These delightful, herby fritters are a popular specialty in southern Turkiye, especially in the Gaziantep, Kilis and Hatay regions. Locals make them with lots of spring onions (scallions), herbs and fresh garlic, when in season. There are many variations throughout the country, where, for instance, grated courgettes (zucchini) can be added too, as in our popular kabak mücveri. In south, locals use a special öcce pan with hollows, where the batter is poured over to be shallow fried. A regular, non-stick wide pan will work just as well. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. As variations, you could add some grated beets, carrots to the mix for additional crunch.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and finely chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 30 g (1 oz) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
  • 130 g (4¼ oz) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (including stems)
  • 1 teaspoon pul biber or red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 85 g (3 oz/2/3 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour (use gram/chickpea flour for a gluten-free option)
  • 55 g (2 oz) beyaz peynir or feta, crumbled (optional)
  • 3 medium eggs, beaten
  • light olive oil or groundnut oil, for shallow frying
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine the spring onions, garlic, fresh mint, parsley, pul biber and cumin in a large bowl. Using your hands, combine the mixture well. Add the flour and cheese (if using) and stir in the beaten eggs, then season with salt and pepper, and combine well into a batter.
  2. Heat enough oil to cover the base of a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) (about 25 cm/10 in in diameter) over a medium–high heat. Drop tablespoons of the batter mix into the hot oil, spoonful by spoonful, leaving space between each one. Shallow fry for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
  3. They are deilcious with Haydari dip from SEBZE
 

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Baked Potatoes with Onions, Tomatoes and Olives – Zeytinli Patates Bastısı

By on April 16, 2025 in Vegetarian recipes 0

Image taken during SEBZE photo shoots with Sam A Harris and Esther Clark

This delightful and easy potato bake, from my new book SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen,  makes use of the bastı method, a layered cooking technique dating back to the Ottoman period. Meat and vegetables are traditionally first sautéed then layered and gently pressed into a round dish. Turkish food writer Sahrap Soysal notes that this technique is also referred to as oturtma. This humble, great-value dish is very moreish, perfect for buffets as well as easy weekday meals. Leftovers are delicious enjoyed cold the next day, too.

I hope you enjoy making this dish; if you like to get a copy of my cookery book, SEBZE, copies can be ordered worldwide here.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem x

Baked Potatoes with Onions, Tomatoes and Olives - Zeytinli Patates Bastısı
 
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This delightful potato bake makes use of the bastı method, a layered cooking technique dating back to the Ottoman period. Meat and vegetables are traditionally first sautéed then layered and gently pressed into a round dish. Turkish food writer Sahrap Soysal notes that this technique is also referred to as oturtma. This humble, great-value dish is very moreish, perfect for buffets as well as easy weekday meals. Leftovers are delicious enjoyed cold the next day, too.
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetarian
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine, Mediterranean
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra as needed
  • 3 medium or 2 large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 650 g (1 lb 7 oz) roasting potatoes, cut into 3 cm (1 in) discs, 1 cm (½ in) thick
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon pul biber
  • 60 g (2 oz/1/3 cup) good-quality black olives (Turkish or kalamata), pitted and quartered
  • 3 medium, ripe tomatoes, halved, then sliced 5 mm (¼ in) thick
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, wide pan over a medium heat, add the onions and sauté for 10 minutes until softened and starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas 6.
  3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan (or perhaps a little more if needed), add the potatoes and sauté over medium heat for 5–6 minutes. Stir the onions back into the pan, season with salt, pepper, dried oregano and pul biber, combine well and remove from the heat.
  4. Spread half of the potato and onions in the base of a 25 cm (10 in) baking dish. Layer half of the olives and sliced tomatoes over and gently press. Spread the remaining potato and onions over, with a final layer of olives and tomatoes on top, and gently press. Drizzle a little olive oil over, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 40–45 minutes until fully cooked and charred at the edges.
  5. Scatter the chopped parsley over and serve warm or at room temperature.
 

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Acuka; Spiced walnut and red pepper paste dip

By on April 8, 2025 in Vegan / Plant based, Vegetarian recipes 2

 

Acuka is a popular and a very moreish breakfast spread across the country; you may come across at cafes and various breakfast houses, kahvaltı evi in İstanbul too. It is a derivative of the Georgian – Abkhazian dip known as ‘Adjika or Ajika’. The Turkish version includes tomato paste as well as the pepper paste, with many variations made across the country. There are similarities with muhammara (or cevizli biber, as we call at my hometown Antakya in the southeast), though garlic is not included in our version of muhammara. This power dip is so easy to make, packed full of flavour and goodness. Red pepper paste, biber salçası is widely available at Turkish and Middle Eastern stores these days, you can make your own at my recipe in my cookery book SEBZE too. Enjoy acuka as part of your Turkish style brunch, or serve as meze aside to grills, casseroles and pasta. Try it as part of the Kahvaltı Tabağı, Turkish syle breakfast or brunch – it is great as a sandwich filler too.

Prepare ahead: I keep a tub of acuka in my fridge regularly, as it stays well in the fridge, covered for 3-4 days. Also use up other nuts, such as chopped hazelnuts in hand too.

5.0 from 1 reviews
Acuka; Spiced walnut and red pepper paste dip
 
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Acuka is a popular and a very moreish breakfast spread across the country; you may come across at cafes and various breakfast houses, kahvaltı evi in İstanbul too. It is a derivative of the Georgian - Abkhazian dip known as ‘Adjika or Ajika’. The Turkish version includes tomato paste as well as the pepper paste, with many variations made across the country. There are similarities with muhammara (or cevizli biber, as we call at my hometown Antakya in the southeast), though garlic is not included in our version of muhammara. This power dip is so easy to make, packed full of flavour and goodness. Red pepper paste, biber salçası is widely available at Turkish and Middle Eastern stores these days, you can make your own at my recipe in my book SEBZE too. Enjoy acuka as part of your Turkish style brunch, or serve as meze aside to grills, casseroles and pasta. Try it as part of the Kahvaltı Tabağı, Turkish syle breakfast or brunch - it is great as a sandwicc filler too
Author:
Recipe type: Healthy dips
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine, Eastern Mediterranean
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 185g/ 6 ½ oz shelled walnuts
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, grated
  • 3 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp Turkish red pepper paste, biber salçası
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp crushed walnuts to serve
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to serve
  • Sprinkle of pul biber to serve – optional
Instructions
  1. Blitz the walnuts in food processor, until they are about half pinenut size, take care not to grind too much, as it is nice to feel their texture in acuka. Place in a medium mixing bowl and combine with the tomato and pepper paste, grated garlic, extra virgin olive oil, cumin and dried oregano.
  2. Combine well with a spoon, to achieve a chunky paste. Season with salt and ground black pepper to your taste, bearing mind that the pepper paste is quite salty too.
  3. Spread over a serving plate, sprinkle 1 tbsp crushed walnuts in the middle and drizzle extra virgin olive oil to serve, along with sprinkle of pul biber if you wish.
 

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