Turkish-Ottoman Cuisine
For information on the Turkish cuisine you would visit the Wikipedia and Turkish culinary center. This is a cuisine older than 700 years today and has influenced a very large surface area on the world. It is not possible to explain the whole culture in a paragraph. The culinary map of the Ottoman cuisine can be viewed here. Owing to the regional climate (4seasons), being the center of commerce for hundreds of years, the quality of the agriculture and fertile agricultural areas the Ottomona cuisine has such tremendous variety in recipes. From Eastern to Western Turkey, recipes change depending on the regional culinary culture and the spices. While in the eastern parts more spicy ( hot spices- i.e. Isot) food is dominant, at the western parts a Mediterranean kitchen becomes dominant with olive oil, stuffed grape leaves (dolma (Tr) -stuffed(En)), white cheese. Since Turkey is surrounded with the three seas a strong fishing cultureis present at these regions and kitchen is dominated by fish products. Especially, in the Northern Sea Hamsi is very famous and even many songs, poetry and artwork were dedicated to this fish showing its importance in the region. For more you would refer to the websites with the keywords; Turkish cuisine, Ottoman cuisine. Most of the food I cook is originated from Turkey, however I also have a good amount of recipes from all around the world. You can find examples of them in the slideshow below.
Although it is not very much advertised: Turkish cuisine includes a large variety of cheeses, (a reference book on cheeses: The Treasury of Turkish Cheeses-Türkiyenin Peynir Hazineleri-more than 50 varieties explained and it is assumed that over 100 cheese types are present), award winning Turkish wines, homemade pasta (makarna and variations).
An observation: I tasted the baklava's made in other countries, no offense! in one word they can not compete with those in I tasted in Turkey... Just give it a try, if you ever have a chance to visit Turkey...
Although it is not very much advertised: Turkish cuisine includes a large variety of cheeses, (a reference book on cheeses: The Treasury of Turkish Cheeses-Türkiyenin Peynir Hazineleri-more than 50 varieties explained and it is assumed that over 100 cheese types are present), award winning Turkish wines, homemade pasta (makarna and variations).
An observation: I tasted the baklava's made in other countries, no offense! in one word they can not compete with those in I tasted in Turkey... Just give it a try, if you ever have a chance to visit Turkey...
Useful websites for better cooking!
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BAKLAVA
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PİŞMANİYE
SİMİT-Ev yapımı-Home made
For most Turkish, Simit is like bread or breath :) We occasionally eat Simit. In the morning at 5 am all the bakeries start to sell out their simits to those who sell the simit in public areas. It is very common that you hear somebody shouting in the morning Simiiiiiidyeeaaaaa! ( which actually is simitçi). Simitçi is the person who sells simits. Many people buy hot simits because they are so inviting due to the smell they yield. White cheese and tea accompanies during the breakfast. It is one of the most economical way to feel full! Especially, for students it is gold away from their family. Ofcourse, when we mention simit and cheese there always exist the black tea which completes the triangle.
After, my first trial on Simit far away from my country, I wanted to share my experience with those who missed it.
This is a home tried and guaranteed receipe! Just follow the steps precisely :)
Note: 500 gr flour yields 16 pieces of 12 cm diameter simits but I already eat a 2 of them in 5 minutes :) So go for it!
Note 2: Related info : LINK 1, LINK 2 and LINK 3
Ingredients:
Dough:
500 gr flour ( I used 4 gr protein one from five roses, however some claim that it is better to use a higher value <10 gr, I guess there are flours particularly prepared for baking breads you may want to check them! )
1and 2/3 cups of water ( if needed add less or more, depending on the humidity level, temperature and season it changes!)
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar ( if you want to, I used it... but in my opinion it is not so necessary)
3,5-4 gr dry yeast.
For the outer shell:
Pekmez ( molasses in English)
Water
Sesame (150 gr)
Preparation:
Start with the dough. Usually dry yeast can be added directly to the flour without being dissolved in water. Read the instructions at the package. Take a bowl, add flour, yeast, sugar and salt and mix them before you add the water. This will make it homogeneous.
Add 1 cup water on top of the dry mixture and start to mix it with your hands or if you have a bread machine it will also do the job. See the how hard the dough is and then add 1/3 cup of water on it. Mix and decide if you will need more water if so add the 1/3 more cups of water and mix. At this point it is really you who will decide if the dough is okey. The mixing takes around 15 minutes, the more you mix the better your dough will be. Let it rest in the bowl with the top closed for 30-60 minutes in a warm place. When it raises you can start preparing the circles.
In the mean while put the sesame in a pan and heat it on the stove until it becomes golden in color. Always keep an eye on it if it burns you can not use it. When the color turns into golden brown put it in another large plate. ( see the picture below for the difference between white non-treated ones and the heated ones)
After, my first trial on Simit far away from my country, I wanted to share my experience with those who missed it.
This is a home tried and guaranteed receipe! Just follow the steps precisely :)
Note: 500 gr flour yields 16 pieces of 12 cm diameter simits but I already eat a 2 of them in 5 minutes :) So go for it!
Note 2: Related info : LINK 1, LINK 2 and LINK 3
Ingredients:
Dough:
500 gr flour ( I used 4 gr protein one from five roses, however some claim that it is better to use a higher value <10 gr, I guess there are flours particularly prepared for baking breads you may want to check them! )
1and 2/3 cups of water ( if needed add less or more, depending on the humidity level, temperature and season it changes!)
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar ( if you want to, I used it... but in my opinion it is not so necessary)
3,5-4 gr dry yeast.
For the outer shell:
Pekmez ( molasses in English)
Water
Sesame (150 gr)
Preparation:
Start with the dough. Usually dry yeast can be added directly to the flour without being dissolved in water. Read the instructions at the package. Take a bowl, add flour, yeast, sugar and salt and mix them before you add the water. This will make it homogeneous.
Add 1 cup water on top of the dry mixture and start to mix it with your hands or if you have a bread machine it will also do the job. See the how hard the dough is and then add 1/3 cup of water on it. Mix and decide if you will need more water if so add the 1/3 more cups of water and mix. At this point it is really you who will decide if the dough is okey. The mixing takes around 15 minutes, the more you mix the better your dough will be. Let it rest in the bowl with the top closed for 30-60 minutes in a warm place. When it raises you can start preparing the circles.
In the mean while put the sesame in a pan and heat it on the stove until it becomes golden in color. Always keep an eye on it if it burns you can not use it. When the color turns into golden brown put it in another large plate. ( see the picture below for the difference between white non-treated ones and the heated ones)
Mix the pekmez and the water with 1:1 ratio in a sauce pan. You will boil this mixture just before you immerse the circles for 5 seconds and pull them off.
At the left hand-side you see the molasses which I used.
Note: Do not try to put more pekmez because I tried- it does not work and burns!... :D
At the left hand-side you see the molasses which I used.
Note: Do not try to put more pekmez because I tried- it does not work and burns!... :D
When dough is ready, cut it into small 16 uniform pieces! Elongate the little pieces and make a circle. While you try to elongate them you can rub it to a clean surface and twist a bit at the same time, this will give it a different texture.
After, you prepare all the circles heat the molasses (pekmez) - water mixture to the boiling point then stop heating. Take the circle dip into the solution than into the sesame and lay them on the oven rack with a parchemin paper. This will protect them from sticking and your rack from burning.
Put them into your oven. Here we have a little trick. due to the information I found online, simit is baked in a furnace with high humidity level. I poured a lot of water at the bottom of the furnace, if the type of your furnace is different you can put a large bowl of water in a heat resistant cup to increase the humidity at the beginning of the heating process. When you put the simits in the oven it will have a high humidity level. This will make the crust hard and inside soft. I tried and worked well. This also protects your simit from drying for some time.
Now we are ready to bake.
Temperature: 435 F
Time: 14 min
They are ready to be eaten and they really taste close to real simit.
:) Bon appetite!
Now we are ready to bake.
Temperature: 435 F
Time: 14 min
They are ready to be eaten and they really taste close to real simit.
:) Bon appetite!
Simitçi :) here is how a simitçi looks like. Depending on the comments this simitçi has been exposed to electricity and contains some over-voltage before he can relax. Apparently he found a nice way to release it :)