Tag Archives | Ozlem’s Turkish Table

Antakya’s Kombe Cookie with Walnuts; three generations baking

Antakya’s kombe cookie with walnuts and cinnamon

Another special treasure my parents kindly brought back from Antakya was these very pretty wooden molds which the locals use to shape the delicious Kombe cookies. I adore the molds’ intricate, delicate designs and have always been always fascinated with the special place these cookies have throughout the Middle Eastern cuisines.

Wooden kombe cookie molds have intricate, delicate designs, just beautiful.

Kombe cookies are made in every special occasion in Antakya and surroundings; weddings, religious festivals, Ramadan or at any special gathering. They have a delicious, crunchy bite to it and I like that they are not overly sweet. There are variations of kombe cookies even in Southeast Turkey; some has only nuts in it, some would have dates, as in the case of their Middle Eastern cousin, Mamul or Ma’amoul. Regardless of their variation, both kombe and ma’amoul have a special place throughout the Middle Eastern cuisines and have been a part of the celebrations in different religions; during Ramadan, Easter and Hanukkah. Indeed a special cross cultural cookie and I think that makes it even more special.

Anneanne, grandma and my daughter, shaping the kombe cookies together

My 7 year old daughter is a keen baker and she was fascinated with the beautiful kombe molds that anneanne, grandma brought. So we all gathered in the kitchen a few weeks ago; anneanne, myself and my daughter, shaping the kombe cookies. She was fascinated with the shapes forming in the wooden mold and hearing anneanne’s stories. Then mother wanted to consult my dear cousin, Rana in Reyhanli – Hatay, the “pro” Kombe maker in the family, to fine tune the recipe. Rana very kindly went over the kombe recipe as the way it is made in our family; our very special thanks goes to Rana for her invaluable contribution. It was a very memorable experience, which I hope will stay with my daughter a lifetime – a very special recipe and tradition to pass on the next generation.

Baked kombe cookies; love its crunchy texture and delicate taste, flavored with cinnamon.

We used crushed walnuts, sugar and cinnamon in the kombe filling; cinnamon pairs beautifully with walnuts. In Antakya, a special blend of kombe baharat is also sold, consisting of mainly ground cinnamon – there’s also ground all spice, mastic, mahlepi, ground ginger and ground clove (some locals may add a few other spices) in the fragrant kombe baharat (If you’d like to make your own kombe baharat, the ratio of cinnamon to the others in the blend is roughy 3:1). I love that these delicate, crunchy cookies are not overly sweet and they are wonderful with tea, cay or Turkish coffee.

Antakya’s kombe cookies with walnuts and cinnamon

I hope you enjoy these delicious Kombe cookies. The wooden molds are a treat; make sure you get some if you plan to go to Antakya, Uzun Carsi (Long Market). If not, you can still decorate your cookies with a fork.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table book, available to order at this link

My cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland, is a special tribute to my roots, going back to Antakya. I hoped to showcase delicious, authentic regional recipes, especially from southern Turkey and Antakya, including these lovely kombe cookies. More than a cookery book, it has personal stories from my homeland, along with beautiful photography; Signed copies are available to order at this link, if you’d like to copy.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 4 reviews

Antakya’s Kombe Cookie with Walnuts; 3 generations baking together

I hope you enjoy Antakya's delicious kombe cookies, shaped in the beautiful, intricate wooden kombe molds. Kombe cookies are made during every special event in southern Turkey, Antakya and surroundings; weddings, religious festivals, Ramadan or at any special gathering. They have a delicious, crunchy bite to them and I like that they are not overly sweet. As well as walnuts and cinnamon, dates can also be used in the filling, as in the case of their Middle Eastern cousin, Ma'amoul.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Traditional Turkish cookies

Cuisine: Regional Turkish Cuisine - Antakya Cuisine

Serves: 8

Ingredients

500gr/4 cups plain, all-purpose flour
200 gr/ 7 oz. unsalted butter, melted
110gr/ 3.5 oz./ ½ cup granulated white sugar
2 egg white, beaten
10 ml/ 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
15 ml/1 tbsp. ground cinnamon or Kombe baharat
4 fl. oz./ ½ cup warm whole milk
For the filling:
85gr/3 oz./2/3 cup crushed walnuts
30ml/2 tbsp. sugar
10ml/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F
Combine the flour and the melted butter in a large bowl and mix well.
Dissolve the sugar in the warm milk and add to the flour mixture.
Pour in the vanilla extract, egg whites and the cinnamon or kombe baharat, combine well.
Knead the mixture well for 2-3 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
Take a small walnut size of the dough and press the dough gently into the mold to take its shape.
Stuff this dough with about 1 ½ tsp. of the filling mixture.
Take another small piece of dough, about half of the size of the first one. Flatten and press this dough gently over the filling,to form a cap and close the dough. Press gently and seal the ends of the dough.
Remove the kombe cookie from the wooden mold by tapping the end of the mold with your fingers firmly and make sure to catch the falling cookie, shaped with the mold’s intricate design. Place the cookie on a baking tray and repeat this with the rest of the dough.
Bake the cookies for about 20 or 25 minutes, until they get a nice light brown color. They are traditionally lighter in color.
Once cool, serve the Kombe cookies with tea, cay or coffee. Kombe cookies can be stored in an airtight container for at least 3-4 days.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table featured amongst the best Turk Food Blogs by Daily Sabah

I have been delighted and honored to see my blog Ozlem’s Turkish Table being featured amongst the best Turkish food blogs by the Daily Sabah national newspaper in Turkey. Please check out the link for the article and also meet other wonderful Turkish food bloggers. With this opportunity, my heartfelt thanks goes to you all for all your support; it means so much to me.

Tavuk Guvec; Turkish Chicken and Vegetable Stew in Earthenware Pot

By Ozlem Warren on June 2, 2014 in Casseroles and Stews 22

Turkish chicken and vegetable stew in earthenware pot; Tavuk Guvec

My parents are visiting from Istanbul and they brought me a wonderful guvec pot, the traditional earthenware pot, that is used for cooking chicken, meat or vegetable based dishes. This is slow cooking at its best; the flavors of the seasonal produce and choice of meat mingle and simmer over 2 hours and the earthenware guvec pot brings out its distinctive flavor. At the end of the cooking you get a delicious, melt-in- the mouth, tender stew of vegetables and meat, so worth the wait.

My treasured guvec pot, earthenware pot, came all the way from Istanbul

A little history for guvec, excerpted from “The Oxford Companion to Food” by Alan Davidson, kindly shared by My Traveling Joys; “Gyuvech is the Bulgarian name for a kind of earthenware casserole or the dish cooked in it. The name comes from the Turkish word güveç, which has the same meaning. The casserole is fairly shallow with a large surface area allowing for maximum evaporation. It comes round or oval. These vessels are found all over the Balkans are used for cooking almost anything of a savory nature, including fish as well as meat, poultry, and game dishes.” In Rural Anatolia, the guvec pots can be sealed and buried in the ashes of the fire to cook slowly overnight. It is also common for the locals in Anatolia to take their guvec pot to be baked at the bakery.

Layer the vegetables that need longer cooking period towards the bottom of the guvec pot.

This guvec is a wonderful way to use up any seasonal vegetable you have and the meat of your choice if you like. I used runner beans, eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, onions and peppers, they worked really well. When the tomatoes are in season, you can replace the chopped canned tomatoes with the fresh ones; the flavors will be even more amazing. When cooking in the clay pot, bear in mind to layer the vegetables that need longer cooking period towards the bottom of the pot. Once cooked, turn the heat off and let the Guvec rest in the earthenware pot for 30 minutes. The flavors blend and settle deliciously and the earthenware pot will keep warm for a long time.

Potato and bulgur rolls; delicious dipped into the juices of Tavuk Guvec

Potato and bulgur patties; delicious dipped into the juices of Tavuk Guvec

You may also use the cooked potatoes in this guvec pot to make this delicious Patatesli, bulgur kofte; potato and bulgur patties We love dipping these rolls into the delicious juices of the guvec. I love the all in one pot casseroles and “tencere yemekleri” in Turkish cuisine; they are wholesome, easy and healthy meals and great for entertaining and many options included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed hardback copies available at this link and delivered worldwide including US and Canada.

Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, signed copies available at this link

Delicious Tavuk Guvec, Turkish chicken and vegetable stew in earthenware pot

I hope you enjoy this delicious, tender and healthy guvec It is a bountiful dish and a great crowd pleaser, the leftovers also freeze well. If you don’t have a clay / earthenware pot, a cast iron casserole dish, a heavy ramekin dish or a heavy based pot like Le Creuset would work too. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the meat. Mushrooms would work really well here instead of meat.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

5.0 from 3 reviews

Tavuk Guvec; Turkish Chicken and Vegetable Stew in Earthenware Pot

I hope you enjoy this delicious, tender and healthy Tavuk Guvec, slowly cooked in a traditional earthenware guvec pot. It is a bountiful dish and a great crowd pleaser, the leftovers also freeze well. If you don’t have a clay / earthenware pot, a cast iron casserole dish, a heavy ramekin dish or a heavy based pot like Le Creuset would work too. For a vegetarian version, simply omit the meat. Mushrooms would work really well here instead of meat for a vegetarian version.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish Chicken Casserole in Earthenware Pot

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 8

Ingredients

450gr / 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 3 -4 chunks
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 medium potatoes, skinned, quartered
1 green and 1 red bell (or pointy) pepper, coarsely chopped
250 gr fresh runner (or French, dwarf) beans, trimmed and cut in three parts
2 small or 1 large zucchini, sliced
1 eggplant (aubergine), quartered and cut in small chunks
1 can of 400 gr/14 oz. chopped tomatoes
15ml /1 tbsp. red pepper paste (optional)
15 ml/ 1 tbsp. tomato paste
2 lb. / 4 cups of water
30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste
Red pepper flakes to serve
Dollops of plain yoghurt to serve

Instructions

Spread the eggplant slices over a tray and sprinkle salt over them. After 15 minutes, dry the eggplants with paper towel to get rid of its bitter juices.
Heat the olive oil in the pot and stir in chicken pieces and onion. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and red pepper paste and sauté for another 3 minutes.
Now, start layering the vegetables, bearing in mind to layer the vegetables that need longer cooking period towards the bottom of the pan.
Layer the potato slices over the chicken, then the runner beans.
Next layer the bell peppers, courgettes and aubergine (eggplant).
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and water.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, as well as red pepper flakes if you like more heat.
Do not stir the guvec pot; cover and start cooking at medium heat, until it starts to bubble.
Once bubbling, turn the heat to low and simmer and gently cook for 2 hours, covered.
Once cooked, turn the heat off and let the Guvec rest in the earthenware pot for 30 minutes. The flavors blend and settle deliciously. Check the seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper if needed.
You can serve Tavuk guvec with these flavorful potato & bulgur patties and a dollop of plain yoghurt aside.

Homemade Cezerye; Caramalised Carrot Paste Delight with Nuts

By Ozlem Warren on April 28, 2014 in Cakes and Desserts, Regional Signature Dishes; Mains, Sides and Desserts 35

Cezerye; Caramalised carrot paste with nuts

Have you ever tried the delicious Cezerye dessert? A specialty from Mersin region at southern Turkey, Cezerye is a delicious confectionery made of carrots, nuts and sugar, coated with desiccated coconut flakes. They are utterly delicious, healthy and also known to be an aphrodisiac.

Spread the cooked carrot & nut paste evenly and tightly, making sure they stay intact.

With my roots going back to southern Turkey, Antakya, I grew up sampling the very best Cezerye from the nearby Mersin region. Such a delicious and healthy snack, it was always available whenever we wanted some for a treat, therefore I haven’t really thought of making them when I was home. But living abroad and not having an access to these scrumptious treats make you brave enough to have a go at them, like making homemade Turkish Delights. I am delighted to report you that compared to making Turkish Delights, Cezerye is so much easier to make, lighter and equally delicious. They are traditionally made with hazelnuts; I used walnuts for my Cezerye recipe and they were delicious. My children absolutely loved them!

I am passionate about healthy, delicious Turkish cuisine, and wholesome desserts like this Cezerye; over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies are available at this link, if interested, and delivered worldwide.

Cezerye; delicious carrot paste with walnuts from Mersin, Turkey.

Carrots have never been sweeter; hope you can have a go and treat yourself, family and friends with these delicious carrot delights. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

4.9 from 8 reviews

Homemade Cezerye; Caramalised Carrot Paste Delight with Nuts

A delicious and healthy caramalised carrot paste & walnuts dessert from Mersin, Turkey. I hope you can have a go and treat yourself, family and friends with these delicious carrot delights. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish desserts

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 medium to large carrots (app. 400 gr), cleaned and grated
200 gr / 7 oz. / 1 cup white sugar (or 1¼ cup brown sugar)
50 gr / 2 oz. walnuts, chopped into small pieces
8 fl. oz./1 cup water
50 gr/ 2 oz./1/3 cup desiccated coconut flakes to decorate
Bowl of water to shape cezerye squares or balls

Instructions

Place the grated carrots, ½ cup water and sugar in a wide, heavy pan.
Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring often. Cook this way for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid evaporated.
Stir in the rest of the ½ cup water and cook again on medium heat, stirring continuously (carrots also release their own juice, therefore I prefer to add the liquid a step at a time so that the carrots won’t become mushy).
Cook the carrots until all the juice evaporated and they are softened, this should take another 30 minutes. Using your stirring spoon, mash the cooked carrots to turn into a thick, chunky paste. At this point, they should also thicken, start to caramalise and get sticky (you can take a little bit between your fingers to test whether it sticks or not). Turn the heat off.
Stir in the chopped walnuts to the carrot paste and mix well. Again using your stirring spoon, blend them all well and turn into a thick paste.
Cover a small rectangular dish or tray with parchment paper. Spread the carrot paste evenly and tightly, making sure they stay intact, with a height of 1,5 cm (0.6”).
Cover with a cling film and rest the mixture to settle for 2 hours in fridge.
After 2 hours, start shaping the carrot paste. Have a bowl of water near you. Wet your hands, take a dessert spoonful and shape into small round balls. Or wet your knife and cut into small squares.
Spread the desiccated coconut flakes on a dry surface and coat the carrot balls and squares with the flakes to coat all over.
Cezerye is ready to serve. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.