ŞEFTALİ MARMELATI

PEACH MARMALADE

It is a perfect season to make jam, jelly or marmalade out of peaches. The smell and color of marmalade was just perfect.

Ingredients:

• 8 peaches
• 1+1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice

Wash and peel the peaches. Take them in a bowl of food processor and process it until it is smooth. Transfer it in a large pot and add sugar on top and stir. Turn the heat on to high and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to medium. Stirring occasionally, cook it for 15 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir. Boil for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Turn the heat off and let it cool for ten minutes. Keep it in the refrigerator.

NOHUT SALATASI

CHICKPEAS SALAD

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1/3 cup of corn
• 2 tbsp of chopped black olives
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/4 bunch of parsley
• 2 green onions
• 1/3 tsp of chilli pepper
• juice of a half lemon
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• salt

Wash and chop green onion, red bell pepper and parsley. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add chickpeas, corns, black olives and mix .Add lemon juice, olive oil, chilli pepper and salt. Mix it and take it in a serving bowl.

TATLI PATATES TATLISI

SWEET POTATO DESSERT

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of water

Topping:

• walnut and tahini

Wash, and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1 inch slices. Place them into a large skillet. Add sugar and water over and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and and cook it until potatoes are soft and syrup gets thicker. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes. Take 2 pieces ta a plate and add 2 tbsp of syrup on top. Decorate it with tahini and walnut or whatever topping you like.

FIRIN YAPMASI

SPICY BULGUR & MEAT PATTIES

Makes 12 patties.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of extra fine bulgur
• 3/4 cup of boiling water
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 small size of onion
• 2 tbsp of pepper paste
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tsp of ground dried mint
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of ground chili pepper
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp of salt

Take bulgur in a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water on it and mix. Cover the lid and let it rest for 15 minutes. Take bulgur and the other ingredients in a bowl of food processor and process it for 15 minutes or until it is well combined.
Take small part ( about the size of a lemon ) of mixing and give them a shape of small ball and make it flat with your palms.Place a baking paper on a baking sheet. Place all the patties on the baking paper. Preheat the oven  450F. Bake them for 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.  
It can be served warm or cold. I prefer to eat mine cold with a cup of Turkish tea.

TAHİNLİ & SUSAMLI EKMEK

TAHINI & SESAME SEEDS BREAD

This bread is one of my made up recipes but it turned out pretty well. It started with the idea of making my bread more nutritious. It is also good if your little ones don't like drinking milk. Sesame seeds ( as well as tahini ) is a good source of calcium. I suggest you to eat this bread when it is fresh; it smells heavenly...

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of flour
• 1+1/2 cups of warm water
• 5 tbsp of tahini
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 1 tsp of yeast

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add tahini and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for rising. Let the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Place a parchment paper on a baking tray. Give the dough a round shape. Then take a sharp knife and give the dough the shapes you desire. Sprinkle some flour on top. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Let rise the dough for half an hour. Bake it for 30 minutes or the color of bread turns brown. Take the bread out of the oven let it cool for 20 minutes and fold it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft.