Vegetarian recipes

Exclusive recipe from my new cookery book SEBZE – Turkish Şakşuka

By Ozlem Warren on March 8, 2024 in A Slice of England, SEBZE, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil, Vegetarian recipes, Vegetarian recipes 0

Merhaba dear All,

It’s not long now for the worldwide publication of my new cookery book, SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish kitchen in April 2024 and I am giddy with excitement to share this special book with you all. You can pre-order your copy here, and we would greatly appreciated, as pre-orders help new books greatly.

SEBZE, Vegetarian Recipes From My Turkish Kitchen

There are 85 scrumptious vegetarian Turkish recipes in SEBZE. We have a rich and diverse regional cuisine, which I have researched extensively. SEBZE includes lesser-known regional specialties along with popular Turkish recipes and a few of my own creations. Many of the recipes complement one another and leftovers can be repurposed for other delicious meals with ease. There are plenty, easy one pot recipes, as well as recipes that suit gluten-free and plant-based diets too.

I wanted to share with you dear readers, an exclusive recipe from my new cookery book, SEBZE, Turkish Şakşuka; Baked Aubergines, Courgettes, Peppers with Tomato Sauce.

You might know Shakshuka (meaning ‘all mixed up’) as a popular dish in the Middle East of eggs cooked in tomato sauce, peppers, herbs and sometimes onions. For us Turks, though, the name and dish Şakşuka refers to this delicious, summery meze of aubergines (eggplant) and peppers cooked in olive oil, served with a tomato-based sauce. Vegetables are traditionally shallow-fried in olive oil for this recipe, although for a lighter and equally tasty option, I prefer to bake them in the oven. I added courgettes (zucchini) here too, following my mother’s recipe.

I suggest to serve this with the nutty Muhammara and Kekikli, Pul Biberli Fırın Patates, my Baked potato chips with pul biber and oregano, both from SEBZE; they complement Şakşuka like a dream.

Turkish Saksuka with pul biber and oregano chips, from SEBZE. Image credit Sam A Harris

Image credit Sam A Harris, from SEBZE, Vegetarian recipes from my Turkish Kitchen

Turkish Şakşuka; Baked Aubergines, Courgettes, Peppers with Tomato Sauce

Prepare ahead: You can prepare Şakşuka a day ahead and keep covered in the refrigerator.

Serves 2–3

1 large aubergine (eggplant), partially peeled in stripes and trimmed

1 medium courgette (zucchini), cut into 1 cm (½ in) slices

1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and cut into 3 cm (1 in) chunks

2–3 chillies or Turkish sivri biber, deseeded and sliced in half lengthways

4 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

flatbreads, to serve

For the tomato sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped

400 g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes

2 teaspoons Turkish red pepper paste (biber salçası, see page xx for homemade) (or double concentrated tomato paste, for a milder flavour)

½ teaspoon pul biber or red pepper flakes (optional)

small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the garlicky yoghurt sauce

200 g (7 oz/generous ¾ cup) thick and creamy plain yoghurt (or plant-based alternative)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/425°F/gas 7.

Cut the peeled aubergine in half lengthways, then cut each half into 1 cm (½ in) slices. Place them on a large tray, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Salt will help the moisture come out of the aubergines. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.

On a large baking tray, arrange the aubergine slices with the sliced courgette, pepper and chillies on the tray in one layer. Coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning and oil into the vegetables with your hands. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, remove the pepper strips and place on a large serving plate. Turn the aubergine and courgette slices and bake for a further 10 minutes until charred at edges and cooked through. Place alongside the peppers on the serving plate.

While the vegetables are baking, make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and sauté for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes and the pepper paste (or double concentrated tomato paste) and mix well. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the pul biber (if using) and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.

For the yoghurt sauce, beat the yoghurt with the garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the tomato sauce over the top of the cooked vegetables. Serve with the yoghurt sauce on the side, accompanied by flatbreads to mop up the tasty sauce.

Ozlem at Meric Ciftligi – Altinouzu, Antakya, from SEBZE. Image credit Sam A Harris

SEBZE is a recipe collection built with convenience and flavour in mind, inspired by my homeland’s rich and diverse culinary heritage. I hope you will embark on a culinary journey to my homeland, to discover a selection of delightful, achievable vegetarian recipes, with stunning food and location photography.

From my kitchen to yours – Afiyet Olsun, as we say in Turkish – may you be happy and healthy with this food and enjoy your copy of SEBZE.

Baked pasta with courgettes, cheese and béchamel – Kabaklı peynirli fırın makarna

By Ozlem Warren on June 5, 2023 in Pasta – Makarna, Vegetarian recipes 0

This is a delicious, easy, comforting pasta bake that you can prepare ahead. Dried mint adds a refreshing touch; I used medium cheddar, though you can use any melting cheese you like – I love grated halloumi here too. I try to squeeze in vegetables into my pasta bakes and bountiful courgettes work well here; feel free to use other vegetables in hand too.

Serve this delicious pata bake with a refreshing salad. Shepherd’s Salad, Coban Salatasi, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, for instance would be a wonderful match served aside. Please kindly note that this pasta bake is not included in my cookery book. Afiyet Olsun.

Baked pasta with courgettes, cheese and béchamel – Kabaklı peynirli fırın makarna

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetarian pasta bake

Cuisine: Turkish / Mediterranean

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

2 medium courgettes, grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2tbsp olive oil
1tsp dried mint
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
450g penne (or pasta or your choice)
110g grated mild cheddar (to sprinkle on top)
For the white sauce:
480ml warm milk (I prefer whole milk)
110g grated medium cheddar
45g unsalted butter
3tbsp plain flour

Instructions

Place grated courgettes in a bowl, sprinkle salt over top and leave to drain for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the excess moisture, leave a side.
Pour olive oil in a wide pan, stir in the courgettes and garlic; sauté over medium to high heat for 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add dried mint, combine well and set aside to cool.
Cook the pasta al dente (as suggested on its package), drain, and place on a large mixing bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil and combine so it won’t stick. Set aside.
Preheat fan oven to 180C/350F.
Make the white sauce by melting the butter in a medium sized pan, on a low to medium heat. Add the flour and beat well. Slowly add the warm milk whisking continuously to get a smooth consistency and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sautéed courgettes and cheese and combine well. Turn the heat off.
Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta in the large bowl, mix well. Place and spread the mixture in a 30x25cm baking dish. Sprinkle 110g grated cheese over and bake in the preheated oven for 18 – 20 minutes, until it is golden on top.
Let it cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve with a refreshing salad. Shepherd’s Salad, Coban Salatasi, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, for instance would be a wonderful match served aside. Please kindly note that this pasta bake is not included in my cookery book. Afiyet Olsun.

Baked vegetables with chickpeas – Firinda Sebzeli, Nohutlu Turlu

By Ozlem Warren on September 17, 2021 in Vegan / Plant based, Vegetables Cooked in Olive Oil, Vegetarian recipes, Vegetarian recipes 4

Baked vegetables with chickpeas – Firinda Sebzeli, Nohutlu Turlu

I love the abundance of seasonal vegetables we get in Turkey. This is a wonderful vegetarian dish, celebrating the seasonal bounty at home. Turlu is traditionally cooked over stove top, as a stew, though I prefer to bake the dish in the oven here, as I love the additional dept of flavours you get with baking the vegetables. Having chickpeas in these casseroles are a typical Turkish fare; its earthy flavour goes well here and makes it a delicious and substantial all in one dish. In winter months, you can use root vegetables like beetroots, potato, as well as leeks etc. in this wholesome dish. It also tastes better next day and freezes well. Great for back to school and weekday meals.

You can serve as this turlu with crusty bread or rice pilaf. I also love to top this wholesome casserole over the smoked eggplant béchamel sauce, as a vegetarian topping for the Turkish classic, Hunkar Begendi – Sultan’s Delight.

Aubergines, lentils and peppers cooked in olive oil, Mercimekli Mualla, from my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Image credit: Sian Irvine Photography

Turkish cuisine offers wholesome, delicious vegetarian and vegan choices, such as this Aubergine, lentils and peppers cooked in olive oil, Mercimekli Mualla, from my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. Signed copies are now 25 % off and delivered worldwide, including the US and Canada at this link.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Baked vegetables with chickpeas – Firinda Sebzeli, Nohutlu Turlu

This is a wonderful vegetarian dish, celebrating the seasonal bounty at home. Turlu is traditionally cooked over stove top, as a stew, though I prefer to bake the dish in the oven here, as I love the additional dept of flavours you get with baking the vegetables. Having chickpeas in these casseroles are a typical Turkish fare; its earthy flavour goes well here and makes it a delicious and substantial all in one dish. In winter months, you can use root vegetables like beetroots, potato, as well as leeks etc. in this wholesome dish. It also tastes better next day and freezes well. Great for back to school and weekday meals. You can serve as this turlu with crusty bread or rice pilaf. I also love to top this wholesome casserole over the smoked eggplant béchamel sauce, as a vegetarian topping for the Turkish classic, Hunkar Begendi – Sultan’s Delight.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetarian and Vegan

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

4 medium aubergines/eggplants, cut in lengthways and sliced in chunks
3 medium courgettes/zucchini, trimmed and sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large or 2 medium red onions, peeled and sliced in wedges
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut in chunks
4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
400g/14oz can of chopped tomatoes
400g/14oz can of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15ml/1tbsp dried oregano
10ml/2tsp Turkish pul biber or red pepper flakes
10ml/2tsp ground cumin
60ml/4tbsp olive oil
15ml/1tbsp double concentrated tomato paste
285ml/10fl oz hot water
Handful of chopped flat leaf parsley to decorate
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200C/400F
Spread the eggplant/aubergine chunks on a wide tray, sprinkle salt over and leave aside for about 10 minutes. Using a paper towel, squeeze the excess water out of the aubergines/eggplants.
Toss all the vegetables with olive oil, oregano, pul biber/red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper, on a large baking tray. Please do that with your (clean) hands and make sure all the spices and olive oil coat the vegetables; this really helps to infuse all the spices and olive oil to the vegetables to enhance their flavour. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 – 40 minutes, turning them around the midway. By the end of this roasting, the vegetables will start to get charred along the edges and softened. Transfer the roasted vegetables over a large baking dish.
Combine the 285ml/10fl oz hot water with tomato paste and mix well. Stir in the can of chopped tomatoes, rinsed chickpeas, cumin; season with salt and pepper and combine well. Pungent cumin goes well with earthy chickpeas.
Pour this mixture over the roasted vegetables in the baking dish and gently combine well. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to your taste.
Bake in the preheated oven for another 20 – 25 minutes, until all vegetables cooked, browned at edges and the sauce thickened. Sprinkle chopped parsley over, ready to serve.
Serve with crusty bread or rice pilaf aside (sharp feta cheese is great crumbled over too, as an option). I also love this wholesome casserole over the smoked eggplant béchamel sauce, as a vegetarian topping for the Turkish classic, Hunkar Begendi – Sultan’s Delight.
Afiyet Olsun.