Tasting Turkish Culture

Ingredients For Hard Cookies 1 stick unsalted butter in room temperature 2 eggs ( yolk is to be put on top of the sekerpare ) 5 tbsp semolina 5 tbsp powdered sugar 1 package or 1 tbsp vanilla 1 package or 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 cup of whole nuts ( almond or hazelnut ) Flour as you need ( approx. 4 cups ) For syrup 2 cups of sugar 2 cups of water 2 tbsp lemon juice Directions; 1-Boil 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water in a pot for 5 minutes.Then add lemon juice. Let the liquid boil a few more minutes and set a side and let it cool down. 2- In a mixing bowl, add  egg whites on to the butter which is softened in the room temperature. 3-Then mix semolina, powdered sugar, baking powder and vanilla. Make a pure mixture by hand. 4-Add flour little by little until you get soft dough. ( like earlobe) 5- Brake off small pieces, walnut size, from dough round and flatten them. 6- Set them on the an oiled cookie sheet. 7- Brush the top of cookies with egg yolk and put wh...

     As Turkish ladies in Jacksonville we try to have Turkish ladies night every couple of months. We had such a great time this past month. We played different types of games like musical chairs, karaoke, needle in a haystack and apple eating contest. We have small prizes for the contestant's.  This months theme was "cig kofte night". Cig kofte is a traditional Turkish meatball that is not cooked literally but actually beaten by hand for some time until it becomes "cooked". While it can be made 3 different ways using potato, egg, or beef; I prefer potatoes. It is considered a veggie dish but we still call it a kofte (meatball). Below I have provided the recipe. Ingredients: 3 big  Potatoes (Boiled, chilled then grated or crushed) 1 package Extra  Fine Grain Bulgur Wheat  2 Garlic Cloves (Crushed) 1 Medium Onion (Grated) 1/2 cup Red Pepper Paste  Cig Kofte Tray  1/2 cup Tablespoon Tomato Paste  Juice of  2 ...

Ingredients  1 package of petit beurre biscuit ( lightly sweet cookie) 2 cups of warm milk 3 large size apple 1 tsp cinnamon Whipped cream Chopped Walnut Ground coconut Directions 1-After peeling apples , grate them. Then in a pan, cook it until it absorb its juice back. Add cinnamon and walnut into the pan and let them cook 2 more minutes.  2-In a tray, lay biscuits side by side after dipping them in milk.  On the biscuits, spread the cooked apple  mixture. 3-Continue the same process,making layers of apple  and biscuit, until the ingredients finish.  On top spread whipped cream evenly, and sprinkle coconut and walnut.

Ingredients 1 lb zucchini 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt Garlic to taste ( minced or grated ) ½ cup crushed walnuts 1-2 tbsp olive oil Bunch of dill ( chopped) Salt, mint, red pepper, black pepper  to taste Directions 1-    Wash zucchini and grate without peeling. Then, take olive oil into a skillet and add in grated zucchini. 2-     Saute over medium heat till they get soft ( for about 8-10 minutes ).  Turn the heat off and aside for cooling. 3-   Meanwhile, take yogurt, dill ,garlic , walnuts and salt into a bowl. Mix and add zucchini. Mix them all and transfer to a serving  plate. Sprinkle walnuts and spices to decorate. Serve it cold with meat, chicken or vegetable dish...

Ingredients 4 large eggs 1 cup of poppy seeds 1cup of semolina 1/2 cup sugar 1-1/2 cup flour 1 cup yogurt 1/2 cup corn oil 1 packet baking powder 1 packet vanilla Syrup 3 cup sugar 2-1/2 cup water 1 tbsp lemon juice Garnish Shredded coconut, chopped walnut or pistachio Direction 1-Mix sugar and eggs thoroughly. Add yogurt and oil to mixture. 2- Combine dry ingredients-semolina, flour,poppy seeds , vanilla, and baking powder- and mix together well. 3- Spray a deep Pyrex ( oven-safe) glass dish with oil, and pour int the mixture. Cook at 350 F on middle rack until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Note; Do not open the oven door, or it won't rise properly. Check progress from the window. 4- While the cake is cooking, boil sugar and water for 3-4 minutes in a small pot. Add lemon juice and boil 3 more minutes and then remove from heat. 5- After cake is finished cooking, let it cool. Pour the still- warm syrup over the cake. Before serving, garnish individual s...

INGREDIENTS 500 g. grape leaves 1 1/2 c. rice 1 large onion 6 T. olive oil 1 t. sumac 1 T. salt 1 t. black pepper 1 t. red pepper 1 lemon 3 c. water   DIRECTIONS 1-Chop the onion into small pieces, and sauté in a pot with 3 T. oil, until the onions are light pink. 2- Add rice, spices, and salt, and mix well. 3- In one grape leaf, spoon 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture into the center.  4-Secure it by closing the right side, then the left side, and tightly rolling it (like a cigarette). 5- Place a layer of empty grape leaves on the bottom of a large pot, to prevent burning.   6-Then place the stuffed grape leaf carefully. Stuff and roll all the remaining grape leaves in the same way, and place them in layers. 7- Add lemon juice, water, and remaining 3 T. oil.   8-Cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes. If the water boils away, add more hot water to pot.  9-When finished cooking, cover and refrigerate. Serve stuffed grape le...

Ingredients  1 bunch collard greens/ Pot of boiling water 1 lb chicken breast diced to tiny pieces 2 cups rice washed 2 medium onions chopped 1 bunch parsley chopped 1/2 cup  oil 2 tbsp tomato paste Salt ( to taste) Red pepper ( to taste ) Dried mint 1 tbsp Directions 1-  Saute the chicken in oil, add the onions, saute again then add rice and cooking or 5 more minutes then add the rest of the ingredients. 2- Clean and cut the stems of the collards. Half-fill water in a large pot and boil. Put he collard green leaves in the boiling water for 30 seconds and remove. 3- Shock the leaves under cold water to stop the cooking process. Gently squeeze the leaves to remove excess water. Let them drain completely. 4- Begin to fill and roll your leaves. Once they are all ready place them neatly in a pot and fill with water just barely above the sarma's. Place a plate upside down over the sarmas's so they sit neatly. Turn on high to a boil, then turn to low to fi...