KABAK MUSAKKA

ZUCCHINI MOUSSAKA

 Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 8  zucchinis
  
• 1 large onion (chopped )
  
• 10 cloves of garlic (chopped )
  
• 1 fresh green pepper ( chopped )
  
• 2 large size of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
  

• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Take ground beef and vegetable oil in a large pot and cook it until the beef absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally . Add chopped onion, chopped pepper, and garlic into the pot. Saute them on a medium heat for 10 minutes then add tomato paste and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, wash,and  drain zucchinis.  Cut zucchinis in half lengthwise and slice them up. Take them into the pot. Add black pepper and salt. Stir them all together. Peel the tomatoes and cut them into cubes. Place tomatoes on top of other vegetables and turn the heat down to low. Put the lid on and cook for 30 minutes.

FISTIKLI BAKLAVA

BAKLAVA WITH PISTACHIO

My favorite baklava is this beauty...

I posted the walnut version of baklava before. The only difference is the filling;  I used the same amount of finely chopped pistachio instead of walnut to make this one.

Enjoy...

HURMALI & CEVİZLİ & TARÇINLI & ELMALI KEK

 DATE & WALNUT & CINNAMON & APPLE CAKE


Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of chopped walnut
• 1 cup of chopped date
• 1 small size apple ( grated )
  
• 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
  
• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• a pinch of salt
  

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Sift flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl.
Whisk eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar in another large mixing bowl until it gets creamy. Gradually add yogurt, vegetable oil whisking consistently.
Add sifted flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda to the bowl and whisk  thoroughly. Add date, walnut and apple to the bowl and stir.
Pour into 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and bake approximately 60 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. The toothpick will come out clean when the cake is done.

HÜNKAR BEĞENDİ

SAUTEED LAMB WITH EGGPLANT PUREE

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplant
• 1 pound lamb cubes
• 2 tbsp of all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp of butter
  
• 1 cup of milk
• 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• a pinch of ground thyme
• black pepper salt  

Pierce the eggplants with a fork . Grill the eggplants until they are soft.Take them out from the oven and let it cool. Peal the crust of eggplants and take the eggplants in a strainer and wait for 20 minutes to let the liquid out. Chop eggplants finely.  Take butter in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add flour in it and stir until the flour gives its raw smell. Turn heat down to low and add milk gradually and whisk.Continue to stir until it gets creamy. Add chopped eggplant,salt and stir. Cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cheese and stir. Turn the heat off and cover the lid.

In a large pot, saute lamb cubes with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat. When the meat gets tender add red pepper paste, thyme, black pepper and salt. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
On a serving plate, first place eggplant puree and place the lamb cubes on top. Serve it warm.

ELMALI TURTA

APPLE TART

Makes 35 squares.

Ingredients:

• 2 stick of butter ( in room temperature )
  
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla sugar
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• all purpose flour (approx 4 cups )
  

Filling:

• 5 apples (peeled and grated )
  
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of chopped walnut
• 1 tbsp of ground cinnamon

Take sugar and the grated apple in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until it absorbs all of its juice.Then add walnut and cinnamon to the pot. Turn the heat off.Stir and set a side. 
Shift flour, baking soda and vanilla sugar all together in a large mixing bowl. Take  butter, yogurt, and sugar in another large bowl and mix. Add shifted flour gradually to the liquid and make a soft dough.Divide the dough into two equal parts. Make a small balls with the first half of dough and place it in the freezer. Let it sit there for 30 minutes ( it will make your job much more easier when you grate the dough ).Take 13-18 inch cookie sheet and roll the second half of dough as large as the sheet and place it on the bottom of sheet. Spread the apple filling all over the dough. Last, take the other half of dough out of the freezer and grate it on top of apple filling.

Preheat the oven 350F and bake it until golden brown.

MOR LAHANA SALATASI

RED CABBAGE SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1/2 head of small red cabbage ( finely shredded )
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt
• 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

 Take shredded cabbage, lemon juice and salt  in a large mixing bowl and rub it for 5 minute. Take it in a salad bowl and drizzle olive oil on top.