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Ozlem’s Turkish Table Cookery Book

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

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.

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Turkish Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio – Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi

Turkish shortbread cookies with pistachio, Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi

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.

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. Please kindly note that this is a new recipe and not included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table.

Turkish Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio – Fistikli Un Kurabiyesi
 
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 and tea.
Author:
Recipe type: Shortbread Cookies - Un Kurabiyesi
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine
Serves: 18 cookies
Ingredients
  • 300g/10 ¼ oz plain all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 110g/4oz icing sugar, sifted
  • 90g/3 ¼ oz shelled pistachios, coarsely ground or very finely chopped
  • 250g/9oz unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • 5ml/1tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • Extra icing sugar for dusting
  • Sprinkle of extra coarsely ground pistachio for serving
Instructions
  1. Coarsely ground the pistachios, with a few pulses in a food processor; take care not to ground too finely, as it’s lovely to feel the texture and enjoy the taste of pistachios.
  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Sift the icing sugar in a separate bowl too.
  3. Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and coarsely slice. Beat using a mixer for 2 – 3 minutes, until smooth and light. Stir in the icing sugar and beat for another 2 minutes, until well combined.
  4. Add the sifted flour, baking powder, pinch of salt and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes, making sure all combined well.
  5. Stir in the coarsely ground pistachio to the mix, beat another minute or two, until all combined and turned into a crumbly dough.
  6. Using your hands, gently combine and turn the mixture into a dough ball. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for 10 minutes. This helps shaping and forming the shortbread cookie balls.
  7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Preheat fan oven to 160C/180C/350F
  8. Take the dough out of the fridge and pull off walnut sized pieces of dough and gently shape into balls, rolling the dough into round shape with your hands. Each dough ball will be about 3cm / 1.2in in diameter. Place the dough balls on the baking tray, with about 5cm/2in between each dough ball. You will make about 18 dough balls.
  9. Bake the Turkish shortbread cookies, un kurabiyes, in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, they will be pale golden; try not to overbake, so that they can retain their crumbly texture.
  10. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely. Once cool, sift icing sugar over them and sprinkle a little ground pistachio over when serving. They are delicious aside tea and Turkish coffee. They can be stored in a container with a lid for a good 5-6 days.
  11. Afiyet Olsun.
 

Hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table in the USA- with reduced shipping rates!-

We are delighted to share that we now have significantly reduced shipping rates to the USA (approximately 14 USD), for the hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table, you can order via GB Publishing, at this link.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table and the apron also available at this link.

Our best wishes and Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

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

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.

I used Ozerlat UK’s fragrant heritage blend Turkish coffee in this cake, it worked beautifully. If you like to order Turkish coffee or other goods from Ozerlat UK, you can use code OZLEM10 at their check out here to get 10 % discount.

I hope you enjoy this fragrant cake as much as we did, 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:
Recipe type: Coffee Cake
Cuisine: Turkish cuisine
Ingredients
  • 230g/8 ¼ oz self-raising flour
  • 175g/6oz unsalted butter
  • 3 medium free range eggs, beaten
  • 225g/8oz sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 30ml/2 tbsp (finely ground) Turkish coffee
  • 90ml/3fl oz warm whole milk (to be combined with Turkish coffee)
  • 15ml/1tbsp cocoa powder
  • 30ml/2tbsp whole milk
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F
  2. Grease a loaf baking tin or round 20cm/8in tin (or non-stick fluted cake ring) with unsalted butter.
  3. Combine the ground Turkish coffee with warm milk, stir and make sure Turkish coffee is dissolved and blended well with the milk. Then stir in the coca powder, combine well. Set aside to cool.
  4. Stir in the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar 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.
  5. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Fold it gently into the butter, sugar and egg mixture.
  6. Divide the cake batter into two equal portions. Add the 2tbsp whole milk to one portion of the cake batter, stir gently and combine well.
  7. Stir in the combined Turkish coffee, cocoa powder and milk mixture into the other portion of the cake batter. Stir gently and combine well.
  8. Spoon tablespoonfuls of large blobs of the each cake batter into the greased tin, alternating the flavours. Position each spoonful on top of each other to give a rippled effect. Swirl the mixture gently with a skewer or chop stick to give a marble effect.
  9. Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the cake is springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  10. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then turn into a serving plate to cool completely before slicing. This cake will keep well for up to 3 days in a cake tin.
 

4th print run of Ozlem’s Turkish Table arrives!

I am absolutely delighted to share that the 4th print run of my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table has arrived! This special book has been tribute to my southern Turkish roots and we are thrilled for the global interest for Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Over 8,000 hard back copies already sold and growing; my sincere thanks to all the readers for their continued interest and to GB Publishing and Pinar Foods UK for all their support to spread the word on healthy, delicious Turkish cuisine globally.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book are 25 % off via GB Publishing at this link and it is delivered worldwide. This lovely apron, made in Turkey with  the embroidery of my hometown Antakya’s daphne leaves in front, also available via GB Publishing, at this link; they would make a lovely gift to a foodie or for Mother’s Day.

Gozleme, (Anatolian flatbreads with spinach and cheese), Baked cauliflower with cheese, onion and herbs and Turkish bean salad Zoom Cooking Class

Saturday, May 15th, 2021, 6 pm – 7.45 pm (BST)

Anatolian flat breads with cheese and spinach, Ispanakli Peynirli Gozleme, at our zoom cooking class

I am delighted to be teaching this delicious online Turkish cookery class,on  Saturday, May 15th, 2021, 6 pm – 7.45 pm (BST)  showcasing our popular street food, Gozleme (Anatolian flatbreadswith cheese and spinach filling), along with Baked cauliflower with herbs, onion and dill (Karnabahar mucveri) and Turkish bean salad with olives, sumac onions and tomatoes, Fasulye Piyazi. Turkish cuisine is healthy and packed with flavour, I hope you can join us to make these delicious dishes at home.

Date: Saturday, May 15th 2021

Time: 6pm- 7.45pm (BST)

Cost: 30 GBP per person

To register for the class, please kindly make the payment of 30 GBP  per person via the PayPal button under May 15th class at my Cookery Classes page. The classes tend to sell out quickly therefore early registration is recommended.

Baked cauliflower with red onions, feta and dill, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table; image by Sian Irvine Photography

You will get plenty of ahead of time preparation tips, ideas for substitution and with stories from my homeland. Recording of the class will also be sent to the participants for limited viewing. The class would also make a wonderful gift for a foodie.

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