For centuries, thousands of cooks, specializing in different dishes, have contributed to the evolution of the Cuisine as we know it today. At Topkapi Palace, the sultans had huge kitchens with hundreds of staff.
1. Bake Your Own Bread
Baking your own bread is one of the easiest ways to make delicious Turkish food! You can make a huge loaf of bread that will be perfect for sandwiches, soups, and even desserts.
Homemade Turkish bread is also very healthy. It doesn’t contain the preservatives found in most store-bought bread.
Turkey has the highest per capita bread consumption in the world and bread is a key part of every meal. It is often served alongside meat, vegetables and cheeses.
There are many different types of Turkish bread but a few popular are pide (flatbread), simit and gozleme. Simit is the most common and is a flatbread that is made to look like a donut with sesame seeds glued to it.
2. Make Your Own Yogurt
It’s also a great way to start your day. Rich in probiotics and calcium, it’s an excellent source of energy and a natural cleanser for your body.
While you can buy a good yogurt in the supermarket, it’s far more economical to make your own at home. The process is simple: heat milk until lukewarm, cool it down to a temperature where some added live yogurt culture can thrive, and let it sit undisturbed for several hours or overnight.
3. Make Your Own Pasta
If you’re a lover of pasta, there’s nothing quite like homemade. It’s a culinary skill that takes time and practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll have a huge range of delicious shapes, colours and flavours to play with.
The secret to making delicious pasta is to start with a simple formula: flour, eggs and salt. Just like play dough, it’s best to knead the mixture until it’s a soft consistency and comes together easily.
Next, you’ll need to make your filling. It could be ricotta cheese with a little parmesan and lemon zest, crushed peas with mint or fresh crabmeat mixed with some finely chopped chilli and parsley.
4. Make Your Own Pizza
Luckily, you can make your own pizza and enjoy it guilt-free by following these simple steps.
Start by making your own dough with flour, water, baking powder, and beer. This recipe will yield a light, fluffy crust that’s not too dense or heavy.
For toppings, choose low-sodium vegetables and lean meats. Proteins are key to maintaining a healthy weight, so adding meats like chicken and ground turkey can help keep you full for a long time while still delivering important nutrients your body needs.
5. Make Your Own Borek
A traditional Turkish pastry, borek is made with phyllo dough and can be filled with a variety of different ingredients. It can be rolled into cylinders or horseshoe-shaped pieces and is perfect for appetizers or as a main course.
This delicious savory pie is a great way to use up vegetables that you might have in the refrigerator, and it’s also incredibly easy to make. You can serve this dish for lunch or as a light dinner, and it’s really quite healthy too.
Borek can be filled with a variety of things, from cheese to meat and veggies. You can even find it in a variety of flavors, from pizza-flavored to sweet cream-filled varieties.
Exploring the Flavors of Turkish Cuisine
6. Make Your Own Turkey Rice Pudding
It is a favorite of both children and adults, and it is a popular food in Turkey as well. It can be eaten warm or chilled and is a delicious addition to any menu.
You can even make this dish vegan. Just be sure to use a plant-based milk instead of dairy!
Puddings, custards, and other milk-based desserts are a big part of Turkish cuisine. You can find them in all sorts of restaurants, including cafe-style eateries that serve only desserts.
7. Make Your Own Eggplant
If you’re looking for an easy meal that is packed with flavor and filling, look no further than this delicious stuffed eggplant dish. It only takes a few minutes to make and can be served as a satisfying midweek meal or snack.
It’s a great alternative to a traditional salad, which is always a great option for those on the go! It’s also a fantastic option if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to pasta.
The seasoned eggplant is layered with a mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices to create a rich and tasty filling. It’s then baked until tender! It’s the perfect quick and easy dish that you can prepare for dinner on a busy night. You can even make this recipe in advance for meal prep on a Sunday so you have it ready to eat throughout the week as and when you need it!
8. Make Your Own Meatballs
To make these delicious Turkish meatballs, start by mixing ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder together. Next, add water a little at a time until the mixture is wet enough to hold its shape when it's shaped into balls.
Once you have a firm mixture, shape them into generous two-tablespoon size balls. You can bake them or cook them in a skillet. Either way, they're sure to be a hit with your family and friends! Serve them alongside pasta or red sauce.
