Casseroles and Stews

Baked Zucchini, Pepper, Onion, Garlic in Tomato Sauce; Firin Sebze

By Ozlem Warren on November 10, 2014 in Casseroles and Stews, Gluten-free recipes, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil 46

Baked zucchini (courgette), peppers, onion and garlic in tomato sauce – Firin Sebze

This baked vegetables in tomato sauce with olive oil, Firin Sebze, is a delicious, easy and healthy vegetarian course that we turn to often. Beauty of this dish is that you can use whatever vegetables you have in hand; zucchini (courgettes), peppers, onions, peas, carrots, beetroots, aubergines, beans, potatoes especially work well. In Turkish cuisine, we use tomato based sauces a lot in our casseroles, stews and baked dishes; you can use juicy, ripe tomatoes when they are in season. If you can’t get hold of ripe tomatoes, a good quality canned chopped tomatoes also work very well.

For a more substantial vegetarian course, you can add cooked chickpeas to the vegetable mixture here and bake all together. It is a delicious and gluten-free vegetarian course that complements any grills and pasta beautifully; you can also serve this vegetable bake as part of a mezze spread.

You can prepare this dish ahead of time and keep in the fridge or freezer. If left in fridge, reheat at the preheated oven at 200 C / 400 F for 15 – 20 minutes. If kept in freezer, reheat at the same temperature for about 30 minutes.

Baked vegetables with olive oil in tomato sauce; easy, healthy and gluten-free

I hope this delicious baked vegetables with olive oil inspires for easy, healthy, delicious home cooked meals for you all.

I love wholesome, delicious Turkish cuisine; it is based on seasonal produce and offers a lot of options for vegetarian and vegan diets too. Over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies are now 25 % off via GBPublishing at this link, and delivered worldwide including the US.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 10 reviews

Baked Zucchini, Pepper, Onion, Garlic in Tomato Sauce; Firin Sebze

This baked vegetables in tomato sauce with olive oil, Firin Sebze, is a delicious, easy and healthy vegetarian course that we turn to often. Beauty of this dish is that you can use whatever vegetables you have in hand. You can also prepare this gluten-free dish ahead of time and serve as part of mezze spread, or as a side to pasta and grills- Afiyet Olsun!

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Baked vegetables in olive oil with tomato sauce; easy, delicious and gluten-free

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3 medium zucchini (courgettes), quartered and sliced (about ½ cm, 0.20”)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Red, green and yellow bell peppers (or pointy peppers), deseeded and sliced in small chunks
4 ripe tomatoes cut in small chunks or 1 can of 400 gr/14 oz. canned chopped tomatoes
10 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
8 fl oz. / 1 cup water
10 ml / 2 tsp. oregano
Sea salt and ground black pepper to your taste

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 200 C / 400 F
Combine sliced zucchini (courgettes), peppers, onions and garlic on a baking tray.
Pour in the olive oil and mix with the vegetables well.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes or canned chopped tomatoes, combine well.
Pour in the water.
Stir in the oregano and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Combine well.
Bake in the preheated oven (200 C/ 400 F), uncovered for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, give the vegetables a good mix and bake for a further 20 minutes, until they start to chargrill at edges.
Serve hot as part of a mezze spread or as a side to pasta and grills.

Notes

Kadinbudu Kofte; Turkish Lady’s Thigh Meatballs

By Ozlem Warren on November 3, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Casseroles and Stews, Roasts and Kebaps 25

Kadinbudu kofte; Turkish lady’s thigh meatballs

Kadinbudu kofte, or as in the literal translation Lady’s thigh meatballs, is one of the favorite forms of kofte with my children and quite a special treat. This tender, juicy kofte has cooked rice in it rather than stale bread and has a delicious coating of beaten eggs and flour. The cooked rice adds a nice texture and a delicious, moist flavor, combined with cumin, red pepper flakes and onions.

There are theories that this saucy name Kadinbudu kofte, Lady’s thigh meatballs, was given by the Sultan’s chefs at the Ottoman Palace kitchens and that kadinbudu kofte being a favorite of the Sultans; one wonders about the inspirations from the Harem.

Drain the cooked kadinbudu koftes on kitchen paper towel.

A few tips on kadinbudu kofte; you can use leftover cooked rice for this juicy kadinbudu kofte. You can use ground (minced) beef, lamb or mixture. I tend to make my kadinbudu koftes quite chunky; smaller ones may also be a wonderful appetizer or mezze. Having a bowl of water aside and wetting your hands does help shape the meatballs. I like to shallow fry them rather than deep fry, they still get a nice coating and lighter. You can cook kadinbudu kofte ahead of time and give a gentle reheat in the oven (at 180 C /350 F for 15 minutes), just before serving.

Kadinbudu kofte is a delicious, comforting meal with mashed potatoes with spring onions by the side. Seasonal vegetables cooked in olive oil, Cacik dip of cucumbers and yoghurt as well as a refreshing Coban Salata, Shepherd’s Salad with tomatoes, cucumber, onions in olive oil and lemon juice complement kadinbudu kofte well. Kadinbudu kofte is also delicious as a cold picnic lunch.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 4 reviews

Kadinbudu Kofte; Turkish Lady’s Thigh Meatballs

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish meatballs with rice, spices and egg coating

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500 gr/ 1 ¼ lb. ground beef, or lamb or mixture
100 gr/about ½ cup long grain rice, cooked
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large egg yolk (for the kadinbudu kofte mixture)
15 ml / 1 tbsp. olive oil
10 ml/ 2 tsp. ground cumin
5 ml/ 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 large egg and the remaining egg white, beaten (for dipping)
60ml/ 4 tbsp. plain (all-purpose flour) for dipping
Small bowl of cold water aside for shaping the meatballs
Light olive oil or canola oil for shallow frying
For mash potatoes with spring onions:
4 medium potatoes, deskinned and cooked
2 spring (green) onions, finely chopped
45 ml/ 3 tbsp. whole milk
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. olive oil
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. butter
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onions. Saute for 3 minutes over medium heat, they will start to soften.
Stir in the half of the ground (minced) meat and cook on medium to high heat for about 8 minutes, until all the moisture is absorbed, turn the heat off.
Add the cooked rice and the chopped parsley to the pan and mix with the cooked onions and ground meat. Season with salt, cumin, red pepper flakes and ground black pepper (I like to season at this stage before adding the raw meat, as you can check the seasoning). Set aside to cool.
Stir in the remaining raw meat and egg yolk to the mixture. Using your hands, knead well into a paste. Cover and leave the mixture in the fridge for about 15- 20 minutes to settle.
Spread the flour on a flat plate. Have small bowl of cold water aside to help shape the koftes. Beat 1 large egg and the remaining egg white in a small bowl.
Wet your hands and take large egg sized portions of the meat mixture. Shape and flatten them into an oval ball shape. Repeat until all the mixture is finished; you should be able to have 11-12 koftes.
Dip the koftes in the flour to have a light, all round coating.
Heat 4 – 5 tbsp. light olive oil or canola oil in a frying pan.
Then dip the meatballs into the beaten egg and shallow fry in hot oil for about 3 minutes each side. They will be crisp and golden in color.
Drain the cooked kadinbudu koftes on kitchen paper towel. If serving a little later, take out the paper towel and keep the kadinbudu kofte warm on a baking tray in the preheated oven (180 C/350 F) for 5- 10 minutes.
For the mash potatoes with spring onions, mash the cooked potatoes with milk, 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter, over medium heat, until smooth.
Stir in the chopped spring onions and season with salt and ground black pepper. Combine well.
Serve kadinbudu kofte hot with mashed potatoes with spring onions and vegetables aside.

Notes

You can also use leftover cooked rice for this juicy kadinbudu kofte. You can use ground (minced) beef, lamb or mixture. I tend to make my kadinbudu koftes quite chunky; smaller ones may also be a wonderful appetizer or mezze. Having a bowl of water aside and wetting your hands does help shape the meatballs. I like to shallow fry them rather than deep fry, they still get a nice coating and lighter. You can cook kadinbudu kofte ahead of time and give a gentle reheat in the oven (at 180 C /350 F for 15 minutes), just before serving.

Baked Turkish mini meatballs, koftes in pepper and tomato sauce

By Ozlem Warren on August 7, 2014 in Appetizers and Mezes, Casseroles and Stews, Gluten-free recipes, Roasts and Kebaps 27

We Turks love our koftes, Turkish homemade meatballs. A childhood favorite, they get ready in almost no time and the delicious aroma greets you as soon as you are in the kitchen.

Mini Turkish meatballs, koftes; a delicious appetizer or a main course with rice aside.

I recently made these baked mini koftes, meatballs for a friend, who follows a gluten free diet. They were delicious and moist in pepper and tomato sauce, also healthy, as being baked. You can serve them as a mezze, starter or bigger portions can make a lovely main course over some rice, pasta and steamed vegetables aside. Cacik dip of cucumber and yoghurt would complement these mini koftes very well too.

We recently had these lovely mini meatballs over pasta. As a variation, I combined 150gr spinach leaves to the tomato and pepper sauce at the last 3 minutes of cooking the sauce. We served the finished Baked meatballs with vegetables over pasta, it was delicious.

This lovely meatballs in peppery sauce recipe and many others are included at my Turkish cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland, Signed hardback copies at this link, delivered worldwide.

If you live in the USA , Mexico and Canada, you can order a hardback copy with lower shipping rates here.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 3 reviews

Baked Turkish mini meatballs, koftes in pepper and tomato sauce

These delicious Turkish mini meatballs, koftes are a real crowd pleaser. The pepper and tomato sauce make them moister; they are also gluten-free and healthy, as they are baked.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Appetizers, Mezzes

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

225gr/ 8oz ground beef
225gr/8oz ground lamb
1 medium onion, grated
2 eggs
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
400 gr/14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
8 fl oz./1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Small bowl of water with a drizzle of olive oil aside to shape the koftes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 C/ 350 F
In a large bowl, combine the grated onions, eggs and parsley and knead well. That will help soften the onions and blend the ingredients homogeneously.
Stir in the ground meat, season with salt (about 1 – 2 tsp.) and ground black pepper to your taste. Knead for a good 3-5 minutes with your hands, until the mixture becomes elastic and mixed well.
Cover this ground meat mixture with a cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a heavy pan and stir in the garlic and bell peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes, while stirring often.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes and 8 fl oz./ 1 cup of water. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir, cover and simmer on medium to low heat for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off.
Take out the ground meat mixture from the fridge to shape meatballs. Have a small bowl of water with a drizzle of olive oil near you.
Wet your hands and take a small walnut size of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Place the meatballs in a baking tray ready cook side by side and continue until all the meat mixture is shaped into mini koftes, meatballs.
Bake the mini koftes in the pre heated oven (180 C / 350 F) for 25 minutes, they will start to get a nice golden brown coating.
Transfer the baked mini koftes in a large baking dish and pour in the pepper and tomato sauce around them, giving a gentle mix.
Bake the mini koftes in tomato and pepper sauce for a further 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken, the flavors blend in and meatballs will have a wonderful coating.
Serve hot with plain rice and Cacik dip of cucumber, yoghurt and mint if you like.