Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book

News and Turkish Summer BBQ online class with Milk Street-July 17th

By Ozlem Warren on June 6, 2022 in Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book 0

Merhaba dear All,

I hope you are all well. I had a very busy and exciting May and more exciting classes and projects are work in progress. I hope you enjoy reading what I have been up to and keep on cooking delicious, wholesome Turkish food.

Waitrose Magazine, May 2022 feature – Rose pastry with minced meat – Sosyete Mantisi

I was delighted to be featured at the Waitrose Food Magazine, May 2022 issue, with my Beef rose pastries with garlicky yoghurt, Sosyete Mantisi recipe. Over a two page spread, I talked about the very special place savoury pastries and boreks have in Turkish cuisine – some of my favorite things to enjoy with family and friends. If you have missed the magazine, you can read online here at page 58 and 59. I do hope you can give this delicious rose pastries a go – they look elegant and great for entertaining too.

Turkish cuisine week at the Turkish Embassy, London

We celebrated Turkish cuisine week at the Turkish Embassy in London on May 26th and it was an honor to present wholesome Turkish cuisine to our guests. The Turkish cuisine week, celebrated globally via Turkish Embassies around the world, aimed to showcase not only our hundreds years old rich culinary heritage, but also the healthy, wholesome Turkish cuisine with zero waste and sustainable practices. After my presentation, Turkish Embassy’s resident chef Ali Usta served delicious examples of Turkish cuisine to our guests – from mezes to vegetables cooked in olive oil, casseroles to borek and desserts, it was a Turkish feast.

One of the things I tried to highlight at my presentation was that nothing is wasted in Turkish cuisine. For example, let’s take the Circassian chicken – Cerkez Tavugu with walnut sauce recipe. We traditionally use whole chicken here, use the broth to make soup and pilaf and use up stale/left over bread to make the walnut sauce. I hope you can give this delicious recipe a go.

Circassian Chicken with walnut sauce, Cerkez Tavugu,

The Kew Gardens Cookbook

The month of May also witnessed the launch of the brilliant The Kew Gardens Cookbook. I am a big fan of the Kew Gardens and I was delighted to be able to contribute to this important book, with my Baked cauliflower, red onions and feta – Karnabahar Mucveri recipe. All proceeds from the sale of this wonderful book supports the important research Kew Gardens does for sustainability and beyond; you can get a copy at this link.

Turkish cookery classes in Fethiye – Turkey

It was lovely to be back to Fethiye – Turkey, to teach a series of hands on cookery classes in early May – thank you very much all joined our classes in Blossom Hill Uzumlu, GP Kalkan Cookery School and at Yakamoz Hotel Oludeniz. We cooked up a feast from Aubergine and meatball kebabs to Kunefe, Filo triangles with cheese and spinach, muska boregi and more. My sincere thanks to Pinar Foods UK and Fethiye Times for all their support at our events.

Turkish Summer Barbecue Online Class with Ozlem Warren

Milk Street Cooking School, Sunday July 17th – 1pm EST

Do hope you can join us at my online cookery class with Milk Street on July 17th – it will be a Turkish summer BBQ feast with Pistachio lamb kebabs and Smoked aubergine/eggplant salad – you can see details below – registration at this link – hope to see you at the class!

Join Ozlem to learn the science behind mixing and the importance of chilling ground meat mixtures along with cooking a Turkish summer meal.

About this event

If there’s one dish that could be the culinary mascot of Turkey, it’s the kebab. Guest chef Özlem Warren, author of “Özlem’s Turkish Table,” knows that Turks love meat—but also knows they can’t say no to a great vegetable. We’ll start with a traditional kebab from the Gaziantep region of Turkey that combines ground lamb, pistachios, parsley and aromatics. You’ll get tips on how to prepare your kebabs for cooking on the grill or at the stovetop. You’ll learn the science behind mixing and the importance of chilling ground meat mixtures before cooking—both lessons that you can apply to many future kebabs, meatballs and more. To accompany the kebabs, we’ll make a platter of roasted vegetables and a batch of smoky eggplant salad. Traditionally, you would smoke your eggplant over an open fire, but Özlem will walk you through an indoor-friendly version of this technique. Blended with dried mint, tangy yogurt and a glug of good olive oil, this dish is as good as part of a vegetarian meze spread as it is served alongside a platter of kebabs. Join us to learn how to give your meat—and your vegetables—the Turkish treatment.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book at Milk Street Online Store

Readers in the US; I am delighted that the wonderful Milk Street Online store carries hardback copies of my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can order a copy at this link.

Turkish Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio – Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi

By Ozlem Warren on July 19, 2021 in Cakes and Desserts, Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book 0

Turkish shortbread cookies with pistachio, Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi from SEBZE cookery book

This delicious, crumbly shortbread cookies, un kurabiyesi, is a national favouite; my mother would make them for her afternoon tea gatherings, bayrams and special occasions when I was a child. You will find them in our pastanes, patisseries in plain, with almond or sometimes with dried fruits in Turkey. They are delicious, enjoyed with Turkish coffee, Turk kahvesi and tea, cay.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

I added coarsely ground (or very finely chopped) pistachios to mine – it is nice to feel the texture and enjoy the taste of pistachios, so take care not to ground them too finely. Turkish pistachios, as referred as green emeralds are packed with flavour and we use nuts liberally in our desserts and sweet treats. They add a delicious, fragrant nutty taste. You can use ground almonds or hazelnuts instead of pistachio too. These fistikli un kurabiyesi is a great hit with my family and friends; I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. This recipe is from my new book, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen, along with 85 other delicious, easy to make Turkish recipes. You can order a copy of SEBZE here, delivered worldwide.

I hope you enjoy this delicious, crumbly Fıstıklı Un Kurabiyesi from my book SEBZE

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem x

Turkish Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio – Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi

These delicious, crumbly shortbread cookies are a national favouite. My mother would make them for her afternoon tea gatherings and special occasions when I was a child and now my children adore these too. You will find them in Turkish pastanes (patisseries) either plain, or with nuts or dried fruits. They are delicious enjoyed with Turkish coffee (Türk kahvesi) and tea (çay). I add coarsely ground pistachios to mine for a fragrant nutty taste. Turkish pistachios (fıstık) are regarded as our green emeralds and are packed with flavour.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Kurabiye, cookies

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 25 cookies/ kurabiye

Ingredients

90 g (3¼ oz/scant ⅔ cup) shelled unsalted pistachios, plus a little extra to serve
300 g (10½ oz/scant 2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
125 g (4 oz/1 cup) icing (confectioners’) sugar, plus extra for dusting
250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter, cubed
½ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Coarsely chop or grind the pistachios with a few pulses in a food processor; take care not to grind too finely, as it’s lovely to retain a little texture.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Sift the icing sugar into a separate bowl.
Put the butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat using a hand-held electric mixer for 2 minutes until smooth and light. Stir in the icing sugar and beat for another 2 minutes until well combined. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract, and beat for another 2 minutes, making sure everything is combined well. Stir in the pistachios and beat for another minute or two until all combined and turned into a crumbly dough. Using your hands, gently form into a dough ball, place in a bowl, cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and gently shape walnut-sized pieces of dough into round balls with your hands. Each dough ball will be about 3.5 cm (1½ in) in diameter. Place on the baking sheet, with about 5 cm (2 in) between each ball, as they will expand. You should be able to make 25 balls.
Bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 18–20 minutes until the cookies are pale golden; try not to overbake, so that they can retain their crumbly texture and light colour. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Once cool, sift over some icing sugar and sprinkle with a little ground pistachio to serve.

Turkish coffee marble cake

By Ozlem Warren on April 29, 2021 in Cakes and Desserts, Online Turkish Cookery Course, Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book 0

Turkish coffee marble cake

I love our aromatic Turkish coffee, Turk kahvesi; it is more than a drink for us with its rituals. This is a deliciously fragrant but not overpowering Turkish coffee marble cake, ideal for coffee lovers and anyone who would enjoy a delicious slice of cake aside their favourite drink; it is especially wonderful with tea or coffee aside. Here’s my recipe for you, from my cookery book, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kichen. You can get a copy of SEBZE here worldwide.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

I hope you enjoy this fragrant cake as much as we do, Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Turkish coffee marble cake and Ozlem's Turkish Table News!

I love our aromatic Turkish coffee; it is more than a drink for us with its rituals. This is a deliciously fragrant but not overpowering Turkish coffee marble cake, ideal for coffee lovers and anyone who would enjoy a delicious slice of cake aside their favourite drink; it is especially wonderful with tea or coffee aside.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Coffee Cake

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Ingredients

175 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 tablespoons Turkish coffee (finely ground)
90 ml (3 fl oz/6 tablespoons) warm whole milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
225 g (8 oz/1 cup) granulated sugar
3 medium eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
230 g (8 oz/generous 1¾ cups) self-raising flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons cold whole milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease a [2 lb loaf pan or 20 cm (8 in) round cake pan (or non-stick fluted cake ring) with unsalted butter.
Combine the Turkish coffee with the warm milk and stir until completely dissolved. Stir in the cocoa powder and set aside to cool.
Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, whisking well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract and combine well. Sift the flour and salt into a separate bowl, then fold it gently but thoroughly into the butter mixture.
Divide the cake batter into two equal portions. Add the 2 tablespoons of cold milk to one portion of the cake batter and stir gently to combine. Stir the cooled Turkish coffee mixture into the other portion of cake batter and stir gently to combine.
Spoon large blobs of each cake batter into the prepared cake pan, alternating the flavours. Swirl the batter gently with a skewer or chopstick to create a marbled effect. Bake for 42–45 minutes until the cake is springy and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate to cool completely before slicing. This cake will keep well for up to 3 days in a container, covered.