Fascinating Turkey

Cheat’s Yağlama; Layered flatbreads with meat sauce and garlic yoghurt

I love making my own soft flatbreads for yağlama (see my recipe here if you like to make your own flat breads) when I can, but when pressed with time, I make this quick, cheat’s version, using tortilla wraps. Some folks also use thin, round lavash breads at home. It makes a delicious, comforting meal to share, fast. Yağlama requires a nice and juicy sauce, to soften the flatbreads, and the garlic yoghurt is a must to serve; one of our favourite family meals.

Many one pot wonders, easy Lahmacun using tortilla wraps (along with homemade dough), as well as over 50 vegetarian recipes are included in my new cookbook ISTANBUL, Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the City; dishes you can prepare ahead and freeze too (please note that yağlama is not included in this book). You can get a copy here worldwide.

I hope you enjoy this delicious and made easy yağlama feast,

Afiyet olsun,

Ozlem x

Yağlama; Layered flatbreads with meat sauce and garlic yoghurt

Yağlama is a delicious and important specialty from Kayseri, central Anatolia. This lovely dish consists of layering the soft flat breads, with a juicy meat sauce between each layer. Once stacked on top of another, it is quartered and served with garlic yoghurt. It makes an impressive and delicious meal share with friends and family. I love making my own soft flatbreads for yağlama (see my recipe here if you like to make your own flat breads) when I can, but when pressed with time, I make this quick, cheat’s version, using tortilla wraps. Some folks also use thin, round lavash breads at home. It makes a delicious, comforting meal to share, fast. Yağlama requires a nice and juicy sauce, to soften the flatbreads, and the garlic yoghurt is a must to serve; one of our favourite family meals. I hope you enjoy this delicious and made easy yağlama feast.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Easy, comfort food, layered flatbreads with meat sauce, regional recipes

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

8 flour tortilla wraps (24cm in diameter)
750g/1lb 10 oz minced (ground) lamb or beef (15 % fat)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
1 tbsp Turkish pepper paste (optional, replace with tomato paste if you wish)
½ tsp pul biber
400g/14 oz a can of finely chopped tomatoes
85 g sivri biber or padron peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
425ml/15fl oz water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped (reserve 1 tbsp for decoration)
For the garlic yoghurt:
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
400g yoghurt (full fat if you can)

Instructions

Combine the garlic with yoghurt, season to taste, set aside to bring to room temperature.
Place the minced meat on a wide pan, and saute for 8 minutes over medium to high heat, stirring and breaking into small parts, until browned. Pour the olive oil and stir in the butter to the pan and add the onions, saute for a further 7 minutes; the onions will soften.
Add the peppers and saute for another 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato and pepper paste, give everything a good mix. Add the chopped tomatoes, combine well. Pour the water, season with salt, pepper, pul biber, combine and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes over low to medium heat. Add parsley, mix and keep the heat on lowest setting.
Fold a tortilla wrap in half and fold again, then dip the edges into the juicy meat sauce. Place this tortilla wrap flat on a large serving plate or a dish, ideally with 5cm height, so the sauce dribbling at the sides can stay in. Generously spread about 4 tbsps of the meat sauce over, leaving about 1cm around the edges filling free. Working fast, continue this way, wetting the edges of each tortilla and spreading the meat mixture over and layering on top of each other. Spread the remaining sauce over the final tortilla and scatter reserved parsley over. Turn the heat off the sauce.
Cut the yağlama stack in the quarters and serve immediately, with garlic yoghurt. We place a ½ tbsp of garlic yoghurt over each yağlama wedge, then roll and enjoy – you will need paper napkins! Afiyet olsun.

Delights and Street food from Turkey and how to make them at home

By Ozlem Warren on August 14, 2015 in Fascinating Istanbul, Fascinating Turkey, Turkish Street Food 14

Wholesome, delicious Turkish breakfast, my favorite meal of the day

Merhaba and greetings from Turkey; it has been wonderful to be back home, catching up with family, friends and enjoying this fascinating land. I wanted to share with you some photos from our trip with a special highlight on Turkish street food and breakfast we have been enjoying. I hope it inspires and you can give it a go at this delici0us, wholesome recipes. I embraced Turkish breakfast as soon as we arrived Istanbul. Eggs done different ways, Simit, sesame encrusted bread rings, flavorful olives, Turkish white cheese, specialty white cheese with herbs, Van’s Otlu Peynir, ripe juicy sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and savory pastry are all a part of our wonderful Turkish breakfast. This plate is from the wonderful Van Kahvalti Evi in Cihangir, Istanbul. The herbed cheese, Otlu Peynir is a special favorite. Here’s some ideas for you to recreate your own Turkish breakfast.

Cobbled streets of Cukurcuma antique market in Cihangir, Istanbul

A gorgeous antique door at Cukurcuma market, how I wished to take it back home

I love Cihangir area in Istanbul and thanks to dear Senior Dogs Abroad, I made a visit to the Cukurcuma antique and flea market to wander amongst beautiful old, antique furnishings; plates, cutlery being a special focus, I fell in love with this wonderful, ancient door, how I wished to take it back home.

A heavenly tray of Baklava in Istanbul

This heavenly tray of baklava was the next thing attracted my attention. The real thing is much lighter and flaky than its versions abroad, hope you can enjoy baklava in Turkey. You can also make baklava at home; here’s my home made baklava with walnuts recipe, hope you enjoy it.

Full moon in Istanbul, by the Bosphorus

Delicious mezzes and company by the Bosphorus, Istanbul

We were lucky to enjoy a beautiful full moon by the Bosphorus. We celebrated dear Mehmet’s, my brother-in-law’s birthday over delicious Turkish mezzes.

Wonderful to be back to Bodrum

Freshly picked vegetables at the farmers market in Bodrum, Turkey

Cokelek Salata; crumbled white cheese or feta salad, flavored with cumin, red pepper flakes and olive oil

Turkish tea, cay – taste even more delicious by the sea side in Bodrum

And now back to Bodrum; my parents have a time share home here that we and children long to come back. Life evolves around simple pleasures; an early morning swim, followed by a leisurely, long Turkish breakfast. Dad and the children pick up the fresh produce – tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers from Gulsum Baci’s garden and we make a lovely Cokelek Salata; crumbled feta salad with tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, flavored with cumin and red pepper flakes. I am also in charge of making the Menemen; Turkish style scrambled eggs with tomato, onion, peppers and cheese. Sitting at the terrace, we all tuck in with flavorful, olives, more cheese and glasses of cay, Turkish tea to wash it all with the family – my idea of heaven, my favorite meal of the day.

Pogaca; Turkish savory pastries with cheese and parsley

Pogaca; Turkish savory pastry with cheese and herbs

Simit; Sesame encrusted bread rings

Simit; sesame encrusted bread rings

Mid day snack would be either this delicious, national favorite pogaca; savory pastry with cheese and herbs or Turkish sesame encrusted bread rings, Simit; children and we all love them and they dissappear quickly. Simit and pogaca are both widely available at bakeries, street stalls and pastanes, patisseries in Turkey.

Midye Dolma; Stuffed mussels with aromatic rice

Midye dolma; stuffed mussels with aromatic rice, pine nuts and currants

And then comes Midye Dolma; these delicious stuffed mussels with aromatic rice, pine nuts and currants are a delightful street food in Turkey. You can find them in street stalls or at vendors selling by the beach side. Ali Usta, our regular midye dolma vendor turns up every afternoon near our beach at Turgut Reis, Bodrum with delicious midye dolmas. All you need is a squeeze of lemon over them, delicious! I did make stuffed mussels at home, they turned out really well. Cleaning the mussels can be a bit of a labor of love but well worth all the effort, here is my Stuffed mussels with aromatic rice, Midye Dolma recipe, if you’d like to give it a go.

Pide; Turkish oval flat breads with toppings

Peynirli Pide; Turkish oval flat breads with cheese, spinach and vegetables

Turkish oval flat breads with various toppings, Pide, is another favorite street food in Turkey. Our favorite is Pide with cheese and vegetables as well as the Flat breads with ground meat and vegetable topping; Kiymali Pide. A favorite snack and street food both at the sea side and in the towns and cities.

Lahmacun; Turkish style thin pizza with ground meat and vegetables topping

Lahmacun, Turkish style thin pizza with ground meat and vegetables topping

Lahmacun, thin, small Turkish style pizza with ground meat, onions, tomato and parsley topping is also a hugely popular Turkish snack, street food. You can enjoy them at street vendors, kebab houses or lahmacun houses that would only sell this delicious treat. We would wrap lahmacun with slices of tomato, onions and parsley with a healthy squeeze of lemon juice over. Here’s my Lahmacun recipe if you’d like to make this delicious treat.

Gozleme; Anatolian flat breads with fillings

We Turks love these stuffed flat breads, gozleme. Turks were originated from Central Asia, where they drifted towards Anatolia gradually and made their home. They have been making these stuffed flat breads since then. Gozleme is a much loved Turkish street food and a special part of the delicious Turkish breakfast. These popular snacks are cooked quickly on a hot griddle and can be filled with various fillings. Some of my favorite fillings are mashed potatoes, cheese and parsley; spinach and cheese, and ground meat and onions. Here’s my Gozleme with spinach and cheese recipe, hope you enjoy it, afiyet olsun.

Turkish Coffee; Turk Kahvesi – More than a drink

Delightful Turkish Coffee, Turk Kahvesi

Have you ever tried the deliciously frothy Turkish coffee? It is one of the most popular traditional drinks at home in Turkey and I love the whole ritual, the experience of it. As it is so widely available it is a part of Turkish street food for me. In Turkish, we have a saying “Bir fincan kahvenin kirk yil hatiri vardir” which means “The memory of a good cup of Turkish coffee lasts 40 years”. Turkish coffee is a drink of friendship; you are offered this traditional, aromatic drink wherever you go in Turkey; when visiting friends and family, in the shops, while waiting in the bank, in hairdressers.. We take time to pause and enjoy this special drink with a friend or family or sometimes simply reflect with every precious sip. A glass of water and Turkish Delights, Lokum by the side complete the Turkish coffee ritual. I shared this special cup with my mother while in Bodrum, it was very memorable. Here’s how to make Turkish coffee properly and its rituals, hope you enjoy yours.

Bodrum Castle, Turkey

I hope this post inspires you to create delicious, wholesome Turkish treats and visit this fascinating land sometime.

My best wishes from Turkey, Selamlar, Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Magical Istanbul and Cappadocia Tour, October 25-30th; Special Offer

By Ozlem Warren on June 15, 2015 in Fascinating Istanbul, Fascinating Turkey 4

Fascinating Turkey; Magical Istanbul and Captivating Cappadocia, Land of Fairy Chimneys, Tour Brochure
Sunday October 25th through Friday October 30st, 2015 – SPECIAL OFFER!

“We feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to see Istanbul and Turkey with you. You made it a uniquely personal and an unforgettable experience.”

The Spice Market, Misir Carsisi, Istanbl - feast to all senses.

The Spice Market, Misir Carsisi, Istanbul – feast to all senses.

Please join us at our tailor made tour to explore my homeland, fascinating Turkey together. I am delighted to host this exciting tour, covering off the beaten track sights, experiencing foodie heaven markets in Istanbul, private boat tour along the Bosphorus, Whirling dervish shows, exploring old and new parts of Istanbul to give you a real feel of this fascinating city. And food, the glorious Turkish food; starting from my favorite meal of the day Turkish breakfast, every meal will be authentic and memorable. You will also enjoy and discover authentic Turkish cuisine with our Turkish cookery classes and learn how to make this wonderful cuisine. Cappadocia Region, the land of fairy chimneys will be a special highlight. Exploring Goreme Underground City, optional hot air balloon tour over the fairy chimneys, visiting a local Turkish Ceramic Art Shop to learn how the world famous tiles and ceramics made and watch masters working, visiting traditional Cappadocian home to experience local cuisine and many more – all to look forward to. We will be staying at charming, boutique hotels with warm Turkish hospitality for 5 nights.

Special Offer: 1,850 USD or 1,200 GBP (per person sharing in double room)

Single Supplement: 410 USD or 265 GBP

Fascinating Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

Tour Includes:
Accommodation (bed and breakfast) for 5 nights in boutique hotels, All museum entrances,
All internal flights in Turkey, VIP minibus ground transportation for 16 people, Welcome dinner and Farewell Dinner, 2 Turkish cookery classes, learning 2 different regional cuisines (Istanbul and Cappadocia for Anatolian cuisine), All airport transfers, All guide services, Private Bosphorus boat tour in Istanbul and cocktails.

Not included in the tour:
Your international return flight to Istanbul and Visa (if needed), personal expenses, extra drinks and mini bar at the hotels, drinks at meals. Single supplement if requested. Whirling dervish show and Turkish folk night, optional air balloon in Cappadocia, lunches and 2 dinners in Cappadocia. Gratuities for our guide and driver would also be most appreciated.

Turkish Breakfast, delicious, healthy; a feast to all senses

Turkish Breakfast, delicious, healthy, irresistable; a feast to all senses

We will be enjoying the famous Turkish hospitality and learning how to make the delicious Turkish cuisine

This bespoke culinary and cultural tour to Turkey is limited to 12 participants only and early booking is essential to guarantee spaces and availability for the desired hotels and internal flights. If you would like to join us to explore this fascinating land from a local’s perspective, please Contact me and kindly fill in the Fascinating Turkey 2015; Registration Form. I would also very much appreciate if you can kindly share this brochure with your family or friends that could be interested – this trip could be a wonderful, memorable present to someone, a trip of a lifetime.

Topkapi Palace by the Bosphorus, Istanbul

The delightful Bosphorus Boat tour is amongst the highlights of the 2015 Fascinating Turkey Tour.

Fascinating Turkey 2015; Culinary & Cultural Tour Brochure; October 25th – October 30st, 2015

ITINERARY

October 25th, Sunday: Arrival to Istanbul Ataturk International Airport (your arrival time is important to shape the activities of that day), transfer from the airport and check in to our charming Hotel Armada at the heart of Old Istanbul, Sultanahmet. Orientation tour in Sultanahmet, Old Istanbul. You may like to indulge in the famous Turkish Bath at the superb Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami. Private boat cruise along the Bosphorus to enjoy the beauty of Istanbul stretching to two continents. Welcome Dinner at the atmospheric Armada Hotel Terrace to enjoy delicious Turkish mezzes and kebabs overlooking the beautiful Old Istanbul and the Sea of Marmara.

October 26th, Monday: Leave hotel at 9 am after our delicious Turkish style breakfast and start exploring the fascinating Istanbul. We visit the Blue Mosque, famous for its turquoise Iznik tiles and frescoes. We will then continue to the breathtaking Hagia Sophia, a pioneer of architecture and the largest church in the world prior to St. Peter’s in Rome. After visiting the atmospheric Basilica Cistern, we will head to Nakkas Textile & Rugs to see their extensive collections on beautiful Turkish rugs (and experience how world famous Turkish carpets are made, while having lunch), tile, ceramics, print & calligraphy collection. Next stop is the magnificent Spice Market, to learn about and stock up on spices, Turkish delight, Turkish coffee and more. After all that festivity, we will take you to the New Town, Galata, Pera and Beyoglu area to introduce a different, another vibrant part of the city with its markets, passages, shops, mosques and sights. In the evening at 6.30 pm, we have a hands on Turkish cookery class where we learn to cook a delicious 4 course Turkish meal together and enjoy at the end.

October 27th, Tuesday: Check out from Hotel Armada and transfer to the airport to fly to Kayseri, Cappadocia region, land of fairy chimneys. Check in to our charming, beautifully decorated Peri Masali Cave Hotel with its rooms craved through hundreds of years and delicately restored with stones. Orientation tour and lunch to follow. Then visit to Goreme Underground City and Goreme Open Air Museum. Dine at local restaurant and learn about local regional cuisine during our meal.

October 28th, Wednesday: Scrumptious Turkish breakfast at our hotel to enjoy regional delicacies. Optional hot air balloon tour in the early morning, starting at 5 am (extra). At 9.30am visit a local Turkish Ceramic Art Shop to learn how the world famous tiles and ceramics made and watch masters working. Then we will visit a traditional Cappadocian home and will be treated to a special local Turkish cookery class by the village ladies who will teach the local cuisine of Cappadocia as well as other delicacies. Our day will end around 4 pm, giving you a chance to rest in your hotel or enjoy a Turkish Bath. Evening dinner with optional special Turkish Night to enjoy Folkloric Dances from various regions and live music with refreshments.

October 29th, Thursday: Early morning check out and transfer to the airport to fly to Istanbul and check in to Hotel Armada. Free time; perhaps a visit to Grand Bazaar for last minute souvenirs, we will gladly accompany you for this trip. As an alternative, visit the foodie heaven Kadikoy Market in the Asian side and lunch at Ciya Restaurant, famous with fine example of regional Turkish cuisine. Farewell Dinner at the Khorosani Restaurant.

October 30th, Friday: Check out from our hotel and transfer to the Ataturk International Airport for the return flight.

I have been organizing and hosting bespoke Culinary and Cultural Tours to Turkey for 8 years, aiming to show my homeland from a local’s perspective. This is the land I belong and love; a special land packed with history, traditions, beautiful landscape, fabulous Turkish food and wonderful, friendly locals. I would be delighted to explore my homeland with you and show this amazing country from a local’s perspective.

Stunning fairy chimneys at Cappadocia, over the hot air baloon; photo credit National Geographic

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, I look forward to hearing from you and hope to have a chance to explore my homeland together.

My best wishes for happy travels to you all, Iyi Yolculuklar,

Ozlem