BÖREK WITH MALLOW, GOOSEFOOT AND FETA

This is the börek in my dreams! It is extremely delicious! 

I used to see goosefoot on the stalls in the open air markets here; but a few years ago I did not like it so much when I tried it raw in the salad. It was too crunchy for my liking. But this plant does just wonders in the börek! A must try!

goosefoot is just delicious in börek

Ingredients: (serves 3 – 4)

2 thin flaky dough (known as yufka or phyllo)

For the stuffing:

A handful of mallow, washed and drained

Half a bundle of goosefoot, washed and drained

200 gr. Feta, grated

grated feta

1 tea spoon of dried red pepper flakes (optional)

For the sauce/milky wash

1 egg white

Half a glass of milk

2  spoons of olive oil

Half a glass of sparkling water

2 spoons of yoghurt

 

For the top of the börek/ for the glaze

1 egg yolk

Black cumin or sesame seeds 

Method:

1. Keep the stalks and the leaves of the mallow seperately. Steam-cook the mallow leaves for 1 minute. Alternatively you can soak them in boiling water for a minute and take them out immediately. As for the stalks, steam-cook or boil them for 10 minutes as they are harder. Chop the mallow.
2. Steam-cook the goosefoot for 1 - 2 minutes. Alternatively you can soak them in boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes and take it out and drain.
3. Mix the ingredients of the filling.
4. Whisk the ingredients of the sauce. Add 2 -3 spoons of this mixture into the mixture for the filling.
5. Lay one of the phyllo over a flat area. Cut it into half. Set one of the halves apart in order to use later. Moisten the phyllo with a 3 – 4 spoons of the sauce (or 6 -7 dessert spoons).
6. Take ¼ of the börek filling and place it on phyllo going parallel to the long end of the phyllo. Fold the left and right ends inside with 1 cm. and start rolling the phyllo over the filling.
7. Place the roll in an oven dish by giving it a spiral shape.
8. Apply the same process for the rest of the phyllo; going over the spiral shape in the middle everytime.
9. Brush the egg yolk over the börek.
10. Sprinkle the rest of the milky wash over the börek.
11. Sprinkle black cumin or sesame seeds.
12. Bake the börek until it becomes golden on top in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees celcius. 

Step 1 & 2 - mallow and goosefoot chopped

Step 3

Step 5 - cut the phyllo into two from the middle

Step 6

Step 6 - start rolling

Step 6 - that is what you will get after having rolled each phyllo over the filling

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9 - 10 - 11

börek with mallow, goosefoot and feta - just delicious!

TURKISH STYLE LAMBS MEAT SAUTÉ

This is one of the simplest yet really delicious recipes of the Turkish home cooking! When I don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen, that’s something I quickly prepare and it goes very well with a bowl of fresh green salad!

Ingredients (serves 3)

700 gr. Lambs meat, cubed

2 green peppers, ringed (if you have paprika at hand to use, then use max 1 paprika)

2 – 3 tomatoes, peeled and cubed

2 – 3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 pinch of cumin

1 pinch or less of pimento

Pepper and salt

Method

1. Take the meat in a pan and sauté on high heat until the meat releases some water and soaks this water back.
2. Add the garlic and the peppers and sauté for 3 – 4 minutes.
3. Add the tomato and the salt, close the lid and cook on low heat for 2 -3 minutes more.
4. When the tomatoes are cooked, turn off the fire. Add the spice and mix. 

Step 1

TURKISH STYLE LAMBS MEAT SAUTÉ

 

FENNEL WITH BLACK EYED BEANS AND MEAT

Delicious! 

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 su cups of black-eyed beans, soaked in water overnight

black-eyed beans

250 – 300 gr. Lambs meat, in small cubes

meat in cubes

1 fennel, washed and cubed

fennel cubed

1 onion, cubed

1 dessert spoon of tomato paste

2 – 3 spoons of olive oil

1 – 1.5 warm water

Salt 

Method:

1. Take the black-eyed beans  in the pressure water, add water just to cover the beans and cook them soft for 10 – 15 minutes in your pressure-cooker. When they are soft enough, drain.
2. Take the olive oil in a pan and heat. Add the onions and saute for two to three minutes.
3. Add the meat and saute until the meat releases some water and soaks the water back again.
4. Add the tomato paste and saute for 2 -3 minutes more.
5. Add the fennel, the black-eyed beans and the water and mix. Close the lid and cook over low heat for 15 – 20 minutes until the fennel gets soft. Add the salt. 

Step 3

fennel with black eyed beans and meat