İRMİK HELVASI

SEMOLINA HALVA
Ingredients:

• 3/4 stick of butter
• 2 tbsp of pine nuts
• 1 cup of course semolina
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup of regular milk
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla sugar

Take pine nuts in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until pine nuts are light brown.Add butter and melt. Add semolina, turn the heat high. Stir constantly until semolina gets golden brown in color. Add sugar stir turn the heat down to low. Add milk and water and stir with a whisk. Stir constantly until the halva gets ticker to the point of pudding. Turn the heat off. Serve warm. Decorate it with pistachio or walnut.

PİYAZ

WHITE BEAN SALAD


Very simple and healthy dish. I have just had it for lunch. It was very yummy:)

  Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked white beans
• 1/2 medium size of red onion  ( sliced )
• 1/2 bunch of parsley ( chopped )
• 1 tsp of sumac
• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
• juice of half lemon
• 1 tbsp of vinegar
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• salt
• 1 boiled egg ( sliced )
• 1 tomato ( sliced )
• 6-8 black olives

In a large mixing bowl, take bean, parsley, onion and stir. Add sumac ,red pepper flakes, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and salt. Stir and take it in a serving dish. Decorate it with olives, tomato and egg slices.

DAMLA SAKIZLI & KADAYIFLI MUHALLEBİ

MASTIC GUM & KATAIFI PUDDING

This is my latest favorite. Mustic gum adds to the pudding a very special flavor.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups of whole milk
• 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1+1/2 cups of flour
• 1+1/4 cups of granulated sugar
• 3 large piece of mastic gum

Kataifi layers:

• 1/2 lb of kataifi
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnut
• 3 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp of salted butter

In a large sauce pan, take flour, sugar, milk and mastic gum for the pudding and whisk. Add 5 cups of milk and turn the heat on high. Stir constantly until it starts to bubble. Turn the heat off and set aside until it is in room temperature.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot over high heat. Stir constantly until it starts to change its color to the pink. Add walnut and continue to stir until it is light brown. Add sugar and stir until it is brown.Turn the heat off and take the kataifi in a cookie sheet and cool it down.

Add heavy whipping cream into pudding and mix it with a mixer for 5 minutes.

In a rectangular pyrex, layer the first half of kataifi covering the bottom all over. Spoon the pudding over.Layer the second half of kataifi covering the pudding all over.Cover with plastic wrap and take it in the refrigerator until it is cold. 



İZMİR KÖFTE

IZMIR MEATBALLS

Izmir is one of the largest cities in Turkey. They name this meatballs after the name of the city. It is a very easy and delicious dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/3 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 large onion ( finely chopped )
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/3 tsp of baking soda
• salt
• 5 medium size potatoes
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 cup boiling water

Take ground lamb, chopped onion, black pepper, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and knead it until well combined. Cover with stretch film and let it rest for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. At the end of resting time, take the mixture out and knead it one more time. Take small parts (about 2 tbsp )  make small meatballs. Turn the broiler on high and lightly broil the meatballs.
Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into large slices ( like apple slices ) . Take potatoes in a big mixing bowl. Add salt and vegetable oil mix. Preheat broiler to medium heat. Take potatoes in a baking tray. Broil potatoes for 10 minutes. 
Take vegetable oil and tomato paste in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir and saute it for 5 minutes. Add boiling water and stir. Cover the lid and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Add meatballs and potatoes into the skillet and gently stir. Cover lid and simmer for 15 minutes. 
Serve with rice. 

YOĞURTLU KÖFTE

MEAT & YOGURT STEW WITH BULGUR BALLS

This dish is a feast itself that you don't need anything else to go with it.
It has many healthy ingredients and it is very tasty too which will make you ask for the second serving:)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of chickpeas
• 1 lb of lamb cubes ( or beef cubes )
• 2 cups of thick plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup of uncooked rice
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp of all purpose flour
• 3 cups of water
• salt

For the bulgur balls:

• 1 cup of extra fine bulgur
• 3/4 cup of boiling water
• 1/2 lb of ground lamb (or ground beef )
• 1 tbsp of semolina flour
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tsp of ground chili pepper
• salt 

Sause:

• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp of dried ground mint

Take bulgur in a large mixing bowl and pour 3/4 cup of boiling water on it and mix. Cover the lid and let it rest for 15 minutes. Take bulgur, semolina flour, ground lamb, chopped onion, chili pepper, and salt in a bowl of food processor and process it for 15 minutes or until it is well combined.
 

Take small parts ( about the size of a hazelnut ) of mixing and give them the shape of small balls. Take a large pot and fill it half way with water and bring it to the boil over high heat. Turn the heat down the medium. Take the bulgur balls in a metal colander and place it on the rim of pot and cover the lid. Let the steam of boiling water cook the bulgur balls for 20 minutes.Take them in a tray and let it cool.

Soak chickpeas with 2 cups of cold water overnight.

Next day, wash lamb cubes. Take it in a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of cold water. Bring it to the boil. You will see some foam on the surface when it starts to boil. Take them all with a spoon and discard. Drain the chickpeas and add them into the pressure cooker. Close the lid of pressure cooker and turn the heat down to low. Cook the meat and the chickpeas for 15 minutes at low heat. Take the pressure cooker and let it cool. Open the lid when it is cool enough and take the lamp cubes and chickpeas out in a plate leaving meat broth in the pressure cooker.

Wash and drain rice. Take it into the broth. Bring it to the boil over medium heat. Cook the rice until it is soft. Turn the heat off and set a side until it is completely cool. Then add yogurt, egg, and flour. Stir well. Turn the heat on high and stir consistently until it starts to boil. Add cooked lamb cubes and chickpeas in it. Turn the heat down to low and continue to stir for 5 minutes then turn the heat off. Add salt.
Take vegetable oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add dried mint to the pan. Stir until mint gives its color to the oil ( around 30 seconds). Add the sauce to the stew.
Enjoy.

SÖĞÜRME

 COOKED EGGPLANT SALAD

This dish can be served cold or warm. It could be lunch by itself or a side dish with meat.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 large onion ( chopped )
• 1 fresh green pepper ( chopped )
• 4 tomatoes (peeled and diced )
• 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 4 tbsp of olive oil
• 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.
In a large skillet, olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and chopped pepper into the skillet and cook them together for 10 minutes. Add tomato cubes, tomato paste into the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes. Add chopped eggplant and stir. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off add salt and stir. 

KEŞKEK

WHEAT PILAF WITH LAMB CUBES

Don't let the appearance of this pilaf you down. It tastes incredibly delicious with a bowl of colorful salad.

Serves: 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of wheat
• 1/3 cup of chickpeas
• 1 lb of lamb cubes ( or beef cubes )
• 1 large onion
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 tsp of tomato paste
• 1+1/2 tsp of ground cumin
• 1/3 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Soak the wheat with 6 cups of cold water and the chickpeas with 2 cups of cold water overnight.

Next day, wash lamb cubes. Take them in a pressure cooker and add 3 cups of cold water. Bring it to the boil. You will see some foam on the surface when it starts to boil. Take them all with a spoon and discard. Drain the chickpeas and add them into the pressure cooker. Close the lid of pressure cooker and turn the heat down to low. Cook the meat for 15 minutes at low heat. Take the pressure cooker and let it cool. Open the lid when it is cool enough and take the lamp cubes and chickpeas out in a plate leaving meat broth in the pressure cooker.
Drain wheat and add them into the meat broth. Cut the onion into halves and slice them both thinly. Add it into the pressure cooker with tomato paste, red pepper paste, black pepper . Stir and bring it to the boil. Close the lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook it for 45 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the pressure cooker cool down and open the lid. Wheat will absorb most of of the meat broth and should look mushy.

Take boiled meat and 3 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and fry it for 5 minute over medium heat . Turn the heat off . Add lightly fried lamb and chickpeas into keskek with ground cumin and salt. Stir and close the lid and let it rest at least for 30 minutes before serving. This way wheat continue to absorb the liquid.

ETLİ KARA LAHANA SARMASI

STUFFED COLLARD GREENS WITH GROUND BEEF

As I mentioned in the previous post, I tried stuffed collard greens for the first time. I really liked it so did my family.
This dish is very popular in the north part of Turkey so it is very traditional too.


Ingredients:

• Large leaves of 3 bunch collard greens ( 29 leaves)
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1 cup of rice
• 2 tbsp of extra fine bulgur
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1 fresh green pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic 
•  juice of 2 lemon
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Wash the leaves several times to remove grit. Remove the center stalks from the leaves. Cut the large leaves into three triangular parts. Cut the smaller leaves into two equal parts.
Fill a large pot halfway with water. Turn the heat on high, bring it to the boil.  Place the first half of leaves' pieces in the pot, wait for 1 minutes and take them out. Repeat this step for the second half of it. Place all of them on a large plate and set a side.
Meanwhile, take onion, green pepper, and garlic into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients ( rice, bulgur, beef, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt) into the mixing bowl and mix it until well combined.
 

Take one piece of leaves. Place one tbsp of filling on the larger side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the pieces.
Place all the rolls horizontally, side-by-side in a large pot. Add boiling water into the pot slowly, just to cover the rolls. Take the pot over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts to bubble. Cover the lid and simmer for one hour or until the rolls are tender. Serve it warm with salad, plain yogurt or cacik. 

ZEYTİNYAĞLI YAPRAK SARMASI

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES WITH OLIVE OIL

My family has their own vineyard. We were collecting our own grape leaves  and boil them first in order to make this recipe when I was living in Turkey. 

   For me, this is the best vegetarian/vegan dish ever. I can have this dish for  every single meal, even as a snack with my afternoon tea.

It took me almost one hour to roll all the leaves. It is better to have someone with you to reduce the time you spent rolling them.

Ingredients:

• a jar of canned grape leaves ( 2 lb )
• 2 cups of uncooked rice
• 1/2 bunch of green onion ( chopped )
• 1 large size of onion ( chopped )
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped )
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• 2 lemon's juice
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 cup of boiling water

Take olive oil, chopped onion, garlic and green onion in a large pot over medium heat. Stir and saute it for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste in it and stir for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of boiling water into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil and add rice in it. Cover the lid and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until rice absorb all of the water. ( Rice will cook halfway. ) Turn the heat off and add pomegranate paste, salt, black pepper, lemon juice in it and stir. Set a side.
Take the jar of  grape leaves and drain its juice. Wash the leaves and drain the excess water.

 Take one of leaves on a flat surface. Place one tbsp of filling on the upper side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the leaves.
Place all the rolls horizontally, side-by-side in a large pot. Add boiling water into the pot slowly, just to cover the rolls. Take the pot over medium heat and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low as soon as it starts to bubble. Cover the lid and simmer for one hour or until the rolls are tender. Serve it warm or cold. 
We had it as a dinner with cacik.
Enjoy...

FISTIKLI & PEYNİRLİ KÜNEFE

KUNEFE WITH CHEESE & PISTACHIO

Ingredients:

• 1 pound shredded fillo dough
• 1 stick of butter ( melted)
• 3 tbsp of whole pistachios

Filling:

• 1 cup finely chopped pistachio
• mixture of 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese+1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese  ( or 1 cup of Turkish sweet cheese )

Syrup:

• 3 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 cups of water
• juice of 1/4 lemon

For the syrup; take 3 cups of sugar, and 2 cups of water in a medium pot. Bring it to the boil over medium heat. Boil for 7-8 minutes. Add juice of 1/4 lemon into the pot and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn the heat off. Set a side.

 Take kataifi from the freezer and break it into small pieces in a mixing bowl immediately. Let it thaw for ten minutes. Then add melted butter  and whole  pistachios in it and mix it evenly. In a 13-inch round tray, take the first half of kataifi and press and spread the cheese mixture and on top of cheese, spread chopped pistachio  all over the first half of kataifi,then spread the second half of kataifi all over the filling and gently press.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for about 50  minutes or until nicely brown. Take the kunefe out of the oven and spoon cold syrup over it immediately .

Cut kunefe into square shapes. Serve warm.

ETLİ NOHUT

CHICK PEAS WITH BEEF CUBES

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dried chick peas ( soaked over night )
• 1 lb beef cubes
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 20 baby chilli peppers
• 2 tbs of vegetable oil
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 1/2 tbs of red pepper paste
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

In a large pot, take vegetable oil and beef cubes and cover the lid. Cook them over medium heat until it absorbs its own juice. Add chopped onion and stir.Wash and cut the tops of baby chili peppers. Add them to the pot and cook them for five minutes. Add tomato and red pepper paste. Stirring occasionally, cook for another five minutes. Add boiling water ,stir.Drain chick peas and add them to the pot. Add black pepper, and salt. Give them a quick stir.Turn the heat down to low and cook for one hour or until chick peas are soft. 
Serve it warm with rice and salad.

İMAMBAYILDI

  






























 BABY EGGPLANTS WITH OLIVE OIL
I remembered this summer dish as soon as I saw these teeny-tiny eggplants in our local Indian store. I usually follow the seasons for buying vegetables and fruit but I just couldn't resist.

Tomatoes which were used in this recipe are from summer. When they are so fresh and much more cheaper in the summer time I buy some more for coming winter. I just chop and place them in small freezer bags and store in the freezer.


Serves for 4-6

Ingredients

• 20 of baby eggplants
• 1 large size of onions
• 20 baby chilli peppers 
• 10 cloves of garlic ( chopped)
  
• 3 medium size of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• a pinch black pepper
  
• salt

Wash and trim eggplants. Cut them "+" shape that go almost halfway from the bottom. Take 1/3 cup of olive oil in large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Take all 20 eggplants in the pot at the same time and cover the lid. Do not open the lid just shake the pot gently every two minutes until they are nicely brown. Turn the heat off and take eggplants to a dish. Chop the onion and take them to the same pot. Saute with the remaining olive oil. Wash and trim chilli peppers and add them with garlic to the pot and stir .Peel and grate tomatoes. Add them to the pot with tomato paste and stir. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.Add salt and black pepper to the pot and stir.Place  eggplants to the pot and cover the lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

AŞURE

NOAH'S PUDDING

This is a very traditional Turkish dessert with a history behind it. You can check the historical part out from here and here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of uncooked whole wheat
• 1/2 cup of uncooked chickpeas
• 1/2 cup of uncooked kidney beans
• 1/3 cup of uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 10 dried figs
• 15 dried apricots
• zest of an orange
  
• 2 cups of granulated sugar

Soak wheat, chickpeas, and kidney beans in different cups for 10 hours over night.

Next day, drain the water of beans and take them different pots. Add 6 cups of boiling water to the wheat, 2 cups of boiling water to the chickpeas, and 2 cups of boiling water to the kidney beans. Bring the them to boil and turn the heats down to low.Cook wheat around 2 hours or until it is mushy. Add 1/3 cup of rice and 2 cups boiling water to the wheat's pot. Cook it until rice is soft. Add boiling water if necessary. Cook chickpeas and kidney beans until they are soft. Add chickpeas and kidney bean to the wheat's pot. Chop figs and apricot. Add orange zest,raisins, figs, and apricots. Stir, cook until fruits are soft around 10 minutes. Add sugar to the pot and turn the heat off.
With these ingredients, you will have a big pot full of pudding. 
Apportion the pudding into small serving dishes and serve it warm or cold. Could be decorated with walnut, cinnamon, pomegranate, hazelnut, almond, pistachio, sesame seeds, etc.

ETLİ PATATES

POTATO STEW WITH BEEF CUBES

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef cubes
• 8 small size of potatoes
• 1 large onion ( chopped )
  
• 20 baby chilli pepper
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp of vinegar
• 4 cups of boiling water
  
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into cubes.Cut off the top of chilli peppers and wash.

Take vegetable oil and beef cubes in a large pot. Cook it until it absorbs all of its juice over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add chopped onion, and peppers and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and red pepper paste to the pot and stir for 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of boiling water and stir. Add potato cubes to the pot. Bring it to the boil. Add black pepper,vinegar, and salt to the pot, stir. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until potatoes are soft.  Potato cubes become mushy so quickly. Don't let them overcooked.
Serve it with bulgur pilaf.

ZEYTİNYAĞLI PIRASA

LEEKS WITH OLIVE OIL

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 leeks
• 3 carrots
• 1 onion
• 3 tbsp of rice
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 cup of boiling water
• salt
  

Cut top of leeks off, wash, and drain. Cut the white parts of leeks and set a side. Cut the leeks' green parts in half lengthwise and slice them thinly. Wash leek one more time after chopping. Wash, drain, and slice carrots too. Take olive oil,chopped leeks, and carrots in a pot and turn the heat on medium high. Cook it until leek absorbs all of its juice, stirring occasionally.Chop onion and add it into the pot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of boiling water, tomato paste, and rice into the pot and stir. Bring it to the boil. Slice the white part of leeks into 1 inch pieces. Place the leeks' slices on top and cover the lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer until white leek sileces soft. Turn the heat off. Let it cool. Serve it with pepper flakes and some lemon juice.

KAŞARLI POĞAÇA

POGACA WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Makes 14 pogacas.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of warm milk
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 egg+1 egg white
• 5 tbs of sugar
• 1 tbs of salt
• 1 tbs of instant yeast 

Filling:

• 1/2 lb of mozzarella

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp of milk
  
• 2 cups of sesame seeds

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, vegetable oil and eggs. Knead them all together with your hands until becoming dough. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest until the dough rises to double its size. It takes one to two hours.
Cut mozzarella into 14 equal pieces.
Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Place the dough onto counter top and cut it into 14 pieces.Take one piece of dough and make it flat with your hands. Place 1 piece of mozzarella in the middle of the dough and close it up. Give the dough a shape of football with your hands

Mix egg yolk with 2 tbsp of milk in a bowl. Take sesame seeds in another bowl. Dip the pogacas first into egg yolk and then dip them into sesame seeds.Place them on a grased baking tray leaving some room between them and let it rise for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake them until the color of pogacas turn to light brown.

 

PATATESLİ BÖREK

 

BOREK WITH POTATO FILLING

Makes 14 boreks.

Ingredients:

• Turkish triangular fillo
  
• 3 large size of potatoes
• 1 small size onion (chopped )
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1/3 bunch of parsley
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• salt
  

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk
• nigella seeds
• 1 cup of milk
  

Take washed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Boil it until soft over medium heat. Peel and mash potatoes. Saute chopped onion with 3 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add tomato paste and stir for 5 minutes. Add mashed potatoes, black pepper, and salt and stir. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook for ten minutes. Turn the heat off and add chopped parsley. Let it cool.

Take one of the triangular fillo sheets, brush with one tbsp of vegetable oil over the surface of fillo.Place the second fillo on top of first fillo . Place two tbsp of filling on top, fold the edges and roll.Place all the rolls in a baking dish side by side ( no place between them ). Pour one cup of milk on top and let it rest in the refrigerator until rolls absorb milk completly.

Place parcmant paper on a baking sheet. Take the rolls out and place them on the baking sheet. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle some nigella seeds on top. Preheat the oven 35OF. Bake for 30 minutes or boreks are just golden brown.

DOMATES SOSLU KÖFTE & PATATES

 

MEATBALLS WITH POTATOES & TOMATO SAUCE

Makes 12 meatballs.

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 slices of bread
• 1/2 onion ( finely chopped )
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp of ground red pepper
• 1/2 tsp of ground thyme
• 1/3 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
  
• salt

• 2 medium size of potatoes ( peeled and sliced )
• 2 tomatoes
  

Place sliced potatoes on a baking dish no space between them.  

Take two slices of bread into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take ground lamb, egg, processed bread, chopped onion, black pepper, red pepper,thyme, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and knead it until well combined. Cover with stretch film and let it rest for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. At the end of resting time, take the mixture out and knead it one more time. Divide the mixture into 12 equal parts.Give them a shape of egg and make them flat with your palms. Put the meatballs on top of potato slices.
Take tomatoes into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped.Spread it onto meatballs.
Preheat the oven 400F and bake it for 30 minutes.
Serve it with rice and salad. 

DAMLA SAKIZLI MUHALLEBİ

MASTIC GUM PUDDING

This is the second "mastic gum" recipe after the cookies. I just love the smell of mastic. It gives a regular pudding an extraordinary flavor.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp of unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp of all purpose flour
• 3 pieces of mastic gum
• 6 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 3 cups of milk

In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until the flour gives its raw smell. Take the pot away from the heat. Add first cup of milk and whisk it consistently until smooth. Move the pot over the heat again and add the other two cups of milk, sugar and mastic gum. Mix it with a whisk and turn the heat up to high. Keep mixing until it starts to bubble and becomes ticker.Turn the heat off. Apportion the pudding into four bowls.

SAKIZLI & LORLU KURABİYE

MASTIC GUM & RICOTTA  COOKIES

Makes 26 cookies.

The recipe belongs to Sibel who has a very nice Turkish food blog.

These cookies are so popular in Turkey. Most of the Turkish food bloggers have tried and recommended it to anyone who wants to try. I tried and liked it too. The smell of mastic gum is just perfect and it is a very healthy snack for kids too.

In order to make these cookies you should have a special Turkish cheese which is called "lor peyniri" and mastic gum. Ricotta cheese could be substituted for the cheese and the gum could be bought online.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 4 small pieces of mastic gum
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 eggs
• juice of a half lemon
• 2+1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds

Take 1 cup of ricotta cheese in a strainer and cover it with plastic wrap. Place a deep cup under the strainer to let the liquid out and let it sit in the refrigerator for two days. This way ricotta cheese become more thicker just like " lor cheese."

At the end of two days, take ricotta cheese from the refrigerator and place it in a large bowl. Add olive oil, sugar and eggs ( set one egg white aside for the topping ) in the bowl and whisk it. Dissolve the baking soda in the lemon juice and add it into the bowl. Place the mastic gum in the freezer and let it sit there for 10 minutes and then take it out. Grind it in the coffee grinder until ground to the point of flour. Add ground mastic gum into the bowl. Mix it well.

Start to add flour into this mixture and knead it. The original recipe calls just for 2 cups of flour but my dough was too juicy and I needed to add  a half cup of more flour. The dough should be so soft and a little bit sticky because of the mastic gum. If it sticks to your hands do not add any flour. Just wet your hand before giving them the shape.

Place the sesame seeds and the egg white in separated bowls. Take small parts ( about the size of walnut ) from the dough and give them the shape of small balls and dip ( just one side of the cookies ) them first into egg white and then coat them with sesame seeds. Place them on a greased baking tray. Preheat the oven 350 F. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes.