Carla Hale - Turkish Cookbook: Rich and Delectable Flavors of Turkey

This is a simple and delicious Turkish recipe you can make regardless of your experience with cooking Turkish food.

Makes: 4 servings

Total Prep Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

• 1, .25 ounce pack of active yeast
• 1 Tbsp. of white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. of salt
• 1 cups of warm water
• cup of Greek yogurt
• 4 cups of white flour

Directions:

1. In a bowl, add in the yeast, salt and white sugar. Add in the warm water and stir well to mix. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
2. Add in the yogurt and white flour. Stir well until a sticky dough begins to form.
3. Place the dough onto a flat surface. Shape into a ball and cover. Set aside to rest for 3 hours.
4. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Flatten each ball until inch in thickness. Cover and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
5. Place a skillet over medium to high heat. Add a dough round into a skillet. Cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook for an additional minute. Remove and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.
6. Serve immediately.

If you are looking for a delicious and irresistible meal to serve to your friends and family during your next family barbecue, then this is the perfect dish for you to prepare.

Makes: 4 servings

Total Prep Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of plain yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. of lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. of ketchup
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp. of salt
• 1 tsp. of ground cumin
• 1 tsp. of black pepper
• 1 tsp. of smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp. of powdered cinnamon
• 2 pounds of chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and cut into halves

Directions:

1. In a bowl, add in the plain yogurt, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, ketchup, minced garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, dash of salt, ground cumin, dash of black pepper, smoked paprika and powdered cinnamon. Whisk until evenly mixed.
2. Add the chicken thighs into the bowl. Toss to coat.
3. Cover and chill in the fridge for 2 to 8 hours.
4. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium or high heat. Grease the grates of the grill with oil.
5. Thread the chicken onto metallic skewers.
6. Place the skewers onto the grill. Grill for 5 minutes on each side.
7. Remove and rest for 2 minutes before serving.

As the name implies, this is a delicious dessert dish that is packed full of an authentic and delicious Turkish flavor I know you are going to want to enjoy after a homemade Turkish dinner.

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Total Prep Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of ekmek kadayif, ready made
• 4 cups of white sugar
• 4 cups of water
• 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice
• cup of pistachios, ground and for garnish
• 1 cup of Turkish kaymak, for garnish

Directions:

1. Place the ready made ekmek kadayif with the brown side facing down into a shallow pan. Pour boiling water over the top to cover and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
2. Place onto a layer of paper towels and press down to squeeze the excess liquid out.
3. Place the white sugar into a skillet set over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes or until melted and dark brown. Add in the water. Allow to come to a boil. Add in the lemon juice and lower the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to thicken in consistency.
4. Drizzle the syrup over the bread. Set aside to soak.
5. Serve with a garnish of Turkish kaymak and ground pistachios.

This is the perfect dish to make whenever you are feeling under the weather. Serve this soup with a garnish of croutons for the tastiest results.

Makes: 6 servings

Total Prep Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
• of an onion, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• cup of tomatoes, chopped
• 5 cups of chicken stock
• cup of red lentil