Poğaça (savoury pastries)

We have a saying, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I knew that if I wanted to survive in Turkey I needed to learn the language as soon as possible. I found a beginners course at Bosphorous University. It was not only interesting to learn the language but socially stimulating as I had the wonderful opportunity to meet other people from all over the world like myself, starting a life in Turkey. Some were there on business, some married to Turkish wives or husbands. What ever their reason for joining the language class, we all  understood each others isolation and frustration. I particularly connected with two girls, Judith from South Africa and Sue, from the Bahamas. Together, we ventured through Istanbul finding our way around, practising the Turkish we had learnt. Sue & I especially spent a lot of time together. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have survived with out her. We shared moments of tears  and good times with much laughter. 

I travelled to the university by bus and on many occasions had my breakfast en route. Poğaça (poh-ah-cha) is a popular, fast way of eating breakfast. These savoury plump pastries are both satisfying and tasty, they can be eaten plain or with a cheese filling. They are usually sold on the streets in mobile glass containers with an umbrella erected above. The word Poğaça was always a challenge for me to pronounce and in the beginning I didn't have enough courage to walk up to the man selling them. However, over time I felt more and more confident to speak Turkish and even though I still had that English twang of an accent that wasn't the thing that gave me away as being foreign. It was when I said "Lutfen" (please). Yes, that's when I got the strange look from the Poğaça seller. "Bir tane peynirli lutfen", "one with cheese please" I would ask. Lutfen, is hardly used when asking for something,  I can't help myself, In English we say please and thank you simultaneously. So, when in Rome, I do as the Romans do, but with a please at the end!

I choose to use mahlep in this recipe, I love the aroma and taste of this spice and use it in cakes and biscuits also. It's made from the seeds of a special sour cherry and has a nutty flavour perhaps the equivalent to nutmeg. It is also known as mahlab in other countries. It can be bought in Asian and Turkish shops here.

125g Feta cheese

Parsley (just a handful)

100g soft margarine

75ml oil

75ml milk

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of mahlep

300g plain flour (sieved)

pinch of salt

1 egg (for glazing only)

Make the filling first by mashing together the feta cheese and parsley in a bowl.

Now for the dough:

In a saucepan, warm the milk slightly.

Then, pour it in to a bowl together with the margarine, oil, baking powder and mahlep. Sieve the flour into the bowl & add the salt.

Knead mixture together until dough is firm and smooth.

This mixture makes approximately 12 so divide the mixture in to 12 equal balls.

Take a ball of dough and flatten with your hands into an oval shape. Dough should be thin, certainly no more than 5mm thick.

Take a small quantity of the cheese mixture and place it in the middle of the oval. Fold the side over and pinch at the edge. You can make circle shapes if easier, just bring the edges up to meet like a little parcel.

Use the yolk of the egg to glaze all around the top of the parcels.

Sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds if you prefer.

Leave the pastries to rest for at least half an hour before placing in to the oven at 175 and bake until glazing is dark golden brown.

(I baked these today. I think perhaps my pastry was slightly too thick but never the less, they were tasty.)

Enginar (Artichokes)

City life took a lot of getting used to but I found it vibrant and exciting. During the winter months, we lived in Şişli, a very congested area in Istanbul. Our apartment was one of many sandwiched along a street without a pathway. I  regularly gazed out of the window watching pedestrians dodging the traffic as they walked in the road. 
One day, when I stood by the window, a woman in the apartment directly opposite caught my eye. She opened the window and started to climb outside. Whilst balancing on the window ledge she held on to the window frame with one hand. I started to panic, I thought I was going to be a witness to a suicide attempt. Then, she pulled out a cloth and started to clean the window. I couldn't believe my eyes. Cleaning ladies from Turkey must be the bravest and most skilful.
Along with the visual entertainment of our busy street I embraced the sounds that accompanied it. "Enginar (en geh nar), enginarci" a man yelled on a daily basis. Feeling relieved that the man was not in search of a long lost relative called enginar, I learnt that he was selling fresh artichokes.  A basket appeared from no-where tapping against our living room window as it descended. I rushed to see where it was coming from. As I stretched my neck to look above me, I saw a woman leaning out of her window levering  the basket by string very slowly to the street below where the man was standing. He put some artichokes in her basket and  then the woman  pulled  the string back up towards her as the basket banged against our window again . 
When the children were young, I  practised this basket manoeuvre in our home asking the  children to place their toys in the basket whilst I pulled it upstairs to their bedroom. It didn't last very long!

Enginar is a seasonal vegetable in Turkey. It's difficult to find decent fresh ones in England so Amir buys them uncooked and preserved in a jar from the local Turkish supermarket. There are a few different ways of cooking them. This is the traditional Turkish way, eaten as a meze (starter) or a vegetable accompaniment. 

4 large or 8 small uncooked artichoke cups

100g peas

1 large potato 

2 medium carrots

8 onion shallots or 1 onion (optional, I don't use)

half a small squeezed lemon

100ml oil

2 and a half heaped tablespoons of sugar

salt to taste
1 tablespoon of chopped dill

If you are using artichoke cups from a jar, they will need to be drained.

Dice the potato and carrots, slice the onion if you are going to use.

In a saucepan place the oil and diced vegetables and start to simmer for 5 minutes.

Add artichokes and peas. Cover with water and cook for 5-10 mins.

Add lemon, sugar and salt and cook for a further 10 mins.

Add dill.

Simmer in the pan until water has reduced and you are left with just enough sauce for the vegetables to lay on and artichokes should be soft.
Serve chilled or my preference is at room temperature.

The other way of cooking artichokes is classed as the Turkish Jewish way (seferadi). Cooked in a rich lemon sauce.

It is the same as the above minus the extra vegetables. 

Cook the artichoke cups in the oil, water and lemon juice adding the sugar and salt. The liquid will reduce to make a nice tangy sauce.

Before meeting Amir I had never eaten an artichoke. There are many other English people that are not familier with this vegetable and how to cook it. If you buy it fresh from the supermarket I can guide you through how to cook it. You can even eat the stalk and part of the leaves!

Cheese Croquettes

Apart from the fact that they rhyme with minarets, cheese croquettes are both delicious and addictive. They were one of the very first things I ate on the island of Burgaz.
Whilst still living in England, I visited Amir for a two week vacation. My first ever trip to Turkey. I travelled with my very dear house mates and good friends Danny & Vitali. We took Vitali's Aunt & Uncle's boat from Istanbul mainland to Burgaz across the Marmara sea. It was like another world to me, I had never known anyone to own a boat before. I imagined myself like Jackie Onassis with my over sized glamorous sunglasses and wind swept hair, only the reality was that I felt sea sick and my hair was all over the place like a troll.
I remember feeling very nervous as I would be meeting Amir's Mum for the first time. Amir warned me that she didn't speak any English so I prepared myself to just smile constantly at what ever she said hoping that she approved of her son's English girlfriend. With a grin firmly set in place I approached her. Amir introduced me and I shook her hand. Then, she started to speak in English. Amir was in shock, he said to his Mum "I didn't know you could speak English". She laughed and replied "when would I ever get the chance to speak to you in English?". She explained that she used English during her work when she was younger and she amazed herself that she hadn't forgotten her vocabulary. I felt so much more at ease knowing that we could have a conversation, and so, lunch was ordered and I got to know her as much as I could in such a short space of time. 
An array of meze dishes arrived at the table and that's when I indulged in the wonderful melt in your mouth golden croquettes.

250g grated hard cheese

(I use cheddar but any strong flavoured hard cheese is fine)

50g (1 large heaped tablespoon) plain flour

1 egg (egg white only used)

half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

oil for frying

Place the egg white in a bowl and whisk until firm.

Add grated cheese and fold in with a spoon.

Mix in flour and bicarbonate of soda.

Consistency should be firm enough to make small balls.

Place cheese balls in the fridge for as long as possible.

Deep fry and keep balls turning until golden brown and crispy all round.

Tip: Don't over size the balls as they puff, above ingredients should make around 20 balls.