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Vegetarian cheat manti with roasted squash and lentils

By Ozlem Warren on January 19, 2022 in Vegetarian recipes 0

We absolutely love manti, Turkish dumplings with fillings, including the vegetarian version with crushed chickpeas and sautéed onions. When I am short of time though, I enjoy this vegetarian “Cheat Manti”, using shell shaped conchiglie pasta, over a delicious vegetarian sauce, topped with garlicky yoghurt and pul biber/red pepper flakes infused olive oil.

You can make the vegetarian sauce ahead of time and make variations with other seasonal vegetables – meaty aubergines, mushrooms all would work well in the sauce.

My family absolutely love this vegetarian Cheat Manti, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do; garlicky yoghurt and spices infused olive oil complements the dish beautifully. You can serve Shepherd salad with sumac onions as a side, if you like.

If you also like to make manti, here is also my Vegetarian manti recipe with crushed chickpeas and caramalised onions. It is a satisfying and delicious dish and well worth your effort when you have time.

Vegetarian cheat manti with roasted squash and lentils

We absolutely love manti, Turkish dumplings with fillings, including the vegetarian version with crushed chickpeas and sautéed onions. When I am short of time though, I make this vegetarian “Cheat Manti”, using shell shaped conchiglie pasta, over a delicious vegetarian sauce with roasted squash and lentils, topped with garlicky yoghurt and pul biber/red pepper flakes infused olive oil. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Vegetarian recipes

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

500g/1lb 2oz shell (conchiglie) pasta or your choice of pasta
850g/1lb 14oz peeled, deseeded squash, cut into 1cm cubes
30ml/2tbsp olive oil (for roasting the squash)
15ml/1tbsp olive oil (for sautéing onions)
85g/3oz green lentils, rinsed
1 onion, finely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For the garlicky yoghurt:
400g/14oz plain yoghurt (I like to use whole milk yoghurt)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
Salt to your taste
For the spices infused olive oil:
10ml/2tsp (or more!) Turkish pul biber, red pepper flakes or chili flakes
5ml/1tsp ground sumac
5ml/1tsp dried mint
30ml/2tbsp olive oil
Few sprigs of chopped parsley to serve, if you wish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F
Please take the yoghurt out of the fridge and bring to room temperature, about 1 hour before you ensemble the dish. For the garlicky yoghurt, combine the yoghurt with chopped garlic in a medium sized bowl. Season with salt to your taste, combine well and set aside.
Place the cubed squash on a wide oven tray and drizzle the 2tbsp olive oil over. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the squash the olive oil and seasoning (I recommend using your hands here) and roast in the preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes, until they are cooked and a little charred at the edges. Take the tray out of the oven.
In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed green lentils and water and bring to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, cover and simmer for 17-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until tender, but not mushy. Drain excess water and set aside.
On a large sauté pan, stir in the onions and pour in 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until the onions start to change colour and caramalise. Stir in the roasted squash, cooked green lentils, season with salt and ground black pepper. Combine gently for 2-3 minutes, turn the heat off. You can prep this sauce ahead of time.
Pour in the hot water to a medium sized pan and stir in your pasta (I like to use shell shaped conchiglie pasta, which reminds me the manti shape). Cook your pasta, al dente, as per the cooking instructions in the package (conchiglie pasta cooks al dente in 10 minutes). Take 2tbp of the pasta’s cooking liquid into the vegetable and lentil sauce; now turn the heat on and combine the liquid with the sauce gently and warm the sauce. Once paste is cooked, drain the water and drizzle a little olive oil over and combine, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
In a small sauté pan, drizzle 2tbsp olive oil and stir in the pul biber or red pepper flakes, dried mint and sumac. Stir and gently infuse the spices to the olive oil, over medium to low heat, for 1 -2 minutes, turn the heat off.
You are now ready to ensemble your vegetarian cheat manti feast; using a serving spoon; place the pasta on a plate. Spread the 3 – 4 tablespoonfuls of the vegetable and lentil sauce over the pasta and scatter a few small dollops of garlicky yoghurt over the sauce. Drizzle spices infused olive oil over the garlicky yoghurt. Serve immediately.
Afiyet Olsun.

If you enjoy Turkish cuisine, hardback signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, as well as this beautiful apron, are available to order at this link, and delivered worldwide. Signed copies are 20 % off via GB Publishing, and we are told they make special gifts.

If you live in the US, Canada or Mexico, you can now order hardback copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table now lower delivery rates here.

Rice pilaf with chestnuts, pine nuts and currants – Kestaneli Ic Pilav

By Ozlem Warren on December 10, 2021 in Gluten-free recipes, Pilafs and Rice, Vegan / Plant based 0

This sophisticated rice pilaf dates back to the Ottoman Palace kitchens and is packed to the brim with flavour. I love the different textures and flavours this rice showcases with currants, pine nuts as well as fresh herbs. It’s been enjoyed in Istanbul, as well as in Anatolia; my mother would make it at special occasions and for the New Year’s Eve; traditionally cubed lamb liver would be added too, as I have it at my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can serve this dish on its own with a slice of lemon and Turkish pickles, tursu or with the Shepherd’s salad of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, Coban Salata, from my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table, on the side. This special herby rice also traditionally used stuffing for turkey and chicken, to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home. You can also pair with my Baked aubergine/eggplant and chicken kebab, Patlicanli Firin Tavuk, from Ozlem’s Turkish Table.

Signed copies of Ozlem’s Turkish Table cookery book, and this festive apron is available, via GB Publishing, at this link. if you like to order for a festive gift.

If you live in the US, Canada and Mexico, there is now lower rates of shipping at this link.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Rice pilaf with chestnuts, pine nuts and currants – Kestaneli Ic Pilav

This sophisticated rice pilaf dates back to the Ottoman Palace kitchens and is packed to the brim with flavour. I love the different textures and flavours this rice showcases with currants, pine nuts as well as fresh herbs. It’s been enjoyed in Istanbul, as well as in Anatolia; my mother would make it at special occasions and for the New Year’s Eve; traditionally cubed lamb liver would be added too, as I have it at my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can serve this dish on its own with a slice of lemon and Turkish pickles, tursu or with the Shepherd’s salad of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, Coban Salata, from my cookery book Ozlem’s Turkish Table, on the side.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Rice

Cuisine: Turkish cuisine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

170g/6oz cooked chestnuts, chopped into small bite size pieces
30ml/2 tablespoons olive oil
15ml/1 tablespoon butter
30ml/2 tablespoons currants
45ml/3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 medium onion, finely chopped
10ml/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (add a little more if you like cinnamon)
350g/12oz long grain rice, rinsed and drained
750ml/1¼ pints hot water
1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 small bunch of dill, finely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
Wedges of lemon to serve

Instructions

Soak the currants in warm water for about 15 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
Heat the butter and the olive oil in a heavy, medium size pan over a medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until softened.
Add the pine nuts and stir; as they begin to turn golden, stir in the currants, chopped cooked chestnuts, cinnamon and the rinsed rice, combine well for a minute. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Pour in the hot water and bring to the boil. Then lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until all the liquid have been absorbed. Turn off the heat; cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and place the lid back on tightly. Leave to steam for 10 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the chopped parsley and dill and combine gently. Serve with wedges of lemon by the side, Turkish pickled vegetables, Tursu or a zingy Shepherds salad.
Afiyet Olsun.

Pickled Cucumbers and Pickled Beetroot, Carrot and Turnip – Turşu

By Ozlem Warren on November 10, 2021 in Condiments 0

We Turks have a long passion and love for pickles, turşu, dating back to the Ottoman period. Known also as Torshi, derived from Persian torsh ‘sour’, pickled vegetables are much loved in the Middle East and Balkans, as well as in Turkey.

There are over 100 different varieties of turşu at home, and we have special Turşu shops, selling only pickles. From aubergine to cucumbers, tomato to peppers, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, onions, we love pickling vegetables. In southern Turkey, the juice of pickled turnip, şalgam suyu, is also a popular street drink; I love the sour, tangy taste of pickled turnip juice. We enjoy pickles as part of meze spread, add to our salads, with our savoury pastries, grills and kebabs as well as with casserole style Turkish home cooking and pilaf. I adore turşu aside to Bulgur and lentil pilaf with caramalised onions – Mercimekli As or Mujaddara, as well as with Bulgur wheat salad with pomegranate molasses, Kisir.

Pickling is an ancient food preservation technique; research suggests that pickled vegetables contain beneficial bacteria, that support our gut health and over all wellbeing too.

Tips: Use glass jars for pickling and sterilize before using. Only use rock salt and make sure your vegetables are firm (for cucumbers, smaller varieties are better). Use one type of vegetable in the jar or group them with similar texture, such as peppers, cucumbers and beetroots/carrots/turnips in separate jars, as their fermentation timing differs, for instance pickled cucumbers get ready earlier than the pickled beets.

I recently enjoyed my turşu with Bulgur wheat salad with pomegranate molasses, Kisir, hummus and some borek aside, it was a delicious lunch. Kisir, variety of boreks, hummus recipes are at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table. You can get a hardback copy at this link – now 20 % off – There are now reduced rates of delivery to the US, Canada and Mexico at this link too.

Ideal temperature to keep the pickled jars is about 17-20C, at a dark place. Pickled cucumbers get ready in 3 weeks, pickled beetroots, turnips and carrots in 4 weeks. Please do not open the jar before this period, as this will spoil the pickling process, letting the air into the jar. Once the pickles are ready and jar is opened, keep your pickles, turşu in the fridge. It stays fresh for 2-3 months, when stored in the fridge, in a tightly sealed glass jar.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

Pickled Cucumbers and Pickled Beetroot, Carrot and Turnip - Turşu

We Turks have a long passion and love for pickles, turşu, dating back to the Ottoman period. There are over 100 different varieties of turşu at home, and we have special Turşu shops, selling only pickles. From aubergine to cucumbers, tomato to peppers, beetroot, cabbage, carrots, onions, we love pickling vegetables. In southern Turkey, the juice of pickled turnip, şalgam suyu, is also a popular street drink; I love the sour, tangy taste of pickled turnip juice. We enjoy pickles as part of meze spread, add to our salads, with our savoury pastries, grills and kebabs as well as with casserole style Turkish home cooking and pilaf. I adore turşu aside to Bulgur and lentil pilaf with caramalised onions – Mercimekli As or Mujaddara, as well as with Bulgur wheat salad with pomegranate molasses.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Pickles, Tursu

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Ingredients

For pickling cucumbers:
850ml/30fl oz glass sterilized jar with a tight seal
485g/1lb 1oz firm, small cucumbers, washed, dried and coarsely sliced
8 garlic cloves
Small bunch of parsley, washed and pat dried
15ml/1tbsp rock salt
50ml/2fl oz distilled malt vinegar (with 5% acidity)
340ml/12oz drinking water
For pickling beetroot, turnip and carrots:
850ml/30fl oz glass sterilized jar with a tight seal
230g/8oz beetroot, trimmed, peeled and coarsely sliced
140g/5oz turnip, trimmed, peeled and coarsely sliced
110g/4oz carrots, trimmed, peeled and coarsely sliced
8 garlic cloves
Small bunch of parsley, washed and pat dried
15ml/1tbsp rock salt
50ml/2fl oz distilled malt vinegar (with 5% acidity)
340ml/12oz drinking water

Instructions

First sterilize your glass jars. Wash your jars and the lids in hot soapy water, but do not dry them. Instead, leave them to stand upside down on a roasting tray, while they're still wet. Pop the tray of clean, wet jars and lids (removing all the plastic parts), in to a preheated oven at 160ºC for about 15 minutes. Then let them cool down.
Place half of the garlic cloves at the bottom of the jar. Then add the coarsely sliced cucumbers, topped by the remaining garlic cloves. Gently pat down and pack them tight and evenly.
If you are pickling beets, carrots and turnips, follow the same procedure. Place half of the garlic cloves at the bottom of a separate jar. Then add the coarsely sliced beets carrots and turnips, topped by the remaining garlic cloves. Gently pat down and pack them tight and evenly.
Combine the 340ml drinking water, 50ml distilled malt vinegar and 1 tbsp rock salt in a jug. Stir and dissolve the salt completely. Pour the mixture into the pickled cucumber jar, making sure the liquid covers the top of the vegetables. Place the parsley on top, close tightly and seal. Gently shake the jar to make sure the liquid reaches all corners and distributed evenly. Store in a cool, dark place, for 3 weeks, in the case of pickled cucumbers. Do not open the jar before this period, as this will spoil the pickling process, letting the air into the jar.
For pickling beetroots, turnip and carrots in a separate glass jar, follow the same procedure and prepare the same pickling solution with 340ml drinking water, 50ml distilled malt vinegar and 1 tbsp rock salt, combined and fully dissolved. Pour the mixture into the pickled beets, carrots and turnip jar, making sure the liquid covers the top of the vegetables. Place the parsley on top, close tightly and seal. Gently shake the jar to make sure the liquid reaches all corners and distributed evenly. Store in a cool, dark place, for 4 weeks, in the case of pickled beets, carrots and turnips. Do not open the jar before this period, as this will spoil the pickling process, letting the air into the jar.
Once pickles, tursu ready, open the jar and enjoy your turşu, pickles, as part of mezze, with salads, with savoury pastries, grills and kebabs as well as with casserole style Turkish home cooking and pilaf. Once the jar is opened, keep your pickles, turşu in the fridge, covered. It stays fresh for 2-3 months, when stored in the fridge, in a tightly sealed glass jar.