Hamur İşleri
Homemade Bread (Ev Ekmeği)
Four ingredients and patience. Steam in the oven is what makes the crust crisp.
Tatlılar
Baked Milk Pudding (Fırın Muhallebisi)
Milk pudding browned on top in the oven. Egg yolk gives that golden surface.
Salata & Meze
Acılı Ezme
Every ingredient is chopped very fine with a knife. A processor turns ezme into purée.
Çorbalar
Thimble Dumpling Soup (Yüksük Çorbası)
A Kayseri soup cooked with tiny dumplings. Making them takes a while, but frozen ones work too.
Kahvaltılık
Kaygana
A herb pancake made with eggs and flour. Thicker than an omelette, denser than a crepe.
Ana Yemekler
Aubergine Kebab (Patlıcan Kebabı)
Meatballs and aubergine slices are arranged alternately on a skewer or in a tray. The fat passes from the…
Hamur İşleri
Kandil Simidi
Unleavened, raised with baking powder and crisp. The smell of mahlep and sesame is the smell of kandil nights.
Tatlılar
Muhallebi
Three ingredients and one technique: slaking the starch in cold milk. Skipping that step is the only cause of…
Salata & Meze
Charred Pepper Salad (Közlenmiş Biber Salatası)
Red peppers charred and dressed with garlic and olive oil. Two ingredients, deep flavour.
Çorbalar
Bulgur Soup (Bulgur Çorbası)
The cheapest soup in the village kitchen: fine bulgur, tomato paste, mint.
Kahvaltılık
Eggs with Minced Meat (Kıymalı Yumurta)
The mince has to lose its liquid and brown. The eggs only go in after that.
Ana Yemekler
Lamb with Vegetables (Orman Kebabı)
The classic where meat and vegetables cook together. Peas and potatoes go in last, the meat starts first.
Hamur İşleri
Poppy Seed Loaf (Haşhaşlı Çörek)
The loaf of the Afyon kitchen. Ground poppy seed is mixed with sugar and spread on the dough.
Tatlılar
Sütlü Nuriye
Baklava layers meeting milk instead of syrup. The result is lighter and softer.
Salata & Meze
Hummus (Humus)
Skinning the chickpeas is the only route to smoothness. Boiling them with bicarbonate of soda makes that…
Çorbalar
Beyran Soup (Beyran Çorbası)
Breakfast in Antep. Lamb shank simmers for hours, the meat is shredded and meets rice in the bowl. Plenty of…
Kahvaltılık
Fried Potatoes (Patates Kızartması)
Fried twice: the first round cooks the inside, the second crisps the outside.
Ana Yemekler
Slow Roasted Lamb Shank (Fırında Kuzu İncik)
Three hours at a low temperature and the meat comes off the bone by itself. Beyond patience there is no…
Hamur İşleri
Pide Bread (Pide Ekmeği)
High heat and a short time. The dimples pressed in with the fingers give pide its texture.
Tatlılar
Magnolia
Layers of biscuit, pudding and fruit. No baking, only chilling.
Salata & Meze
Muhammara
Walnuts, red pepper paste and pomegranate molasses. Breadcrumbs hold the texture, olive oil loosens it.
Çorbalar
Lebeniye Soup (Lebeniye Çorbası)
The yoghurt, chickpea and lamb soup of Gaziantep. A fixture of Ramadan tables.
Kahvaltılık
Breakfast Spiced Potatoes (Kahvaltılık Baharatlı Patates)
Cubed potatoes fried with spices. Boiling them first is what makes the outside crisp.
Ana Yemekler
Lamb and Vegetable Casserole (Etli Güveç)
In an earthenware pot, in the oven and slow. The porous pot holds the moisture and keeps the meat from drying.