Turkish Spinach Recipes

ISPANAK KAVURMA (TURKISH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Sauce: Smash the garlic clove with a little bit of salt and combine with the plain yogurt. Set aside.
• In a pot boil the spinach for 3 1/2-4 minutes, drain. Squeeze as much water out of the spinach that you can then chop it on a cutting board. I used the sides of the colander to "chop" the spinach with the back of a wide spoon.
• Saute the onion in a medium sized pot with olive oil and salt until the onions are lightly browned. (Tip: cut down on dishes: use the same pot that was used to boil the spinach.).
• Add the spinach, crushed tomatoes, nutmeg, broth and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Turn the heat off. Allow mixture to cool down for a few minutes.
• Arrange spinach on a platter. Place the yogurt sauce on top.
• Garnish: heat up the olive oil in a small pan, add in the red pepper and then turn the heat off being careful not to burn!
• Drizzle the infused red pepper over the yogurt sauce.

TURKISH SPINACH WITH TOMATOES AND RICE

Steps:

• Wash the spinach and, working in batches if necessary, steam for about 2 minutes above an inch of boiling water, just until wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it begins to sizzle and smell fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the stock or water, the lemon juice, rice, salt, paprika, cinnamon, sugar and steamed spinach and bring to a simmer.
• Cover, turn the heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the mixture has the consistency of a thick stew, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or warm.

TURKISH SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse and wash spinach very well to get all the silt off (I use all the spinach including the roots), it takes about 4-5 washes.
• In a large pot heat oil, add onions and saute until soft.
• Add all the ingredients in sequence and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to low heat and cook until the rice is cooked.
• Eat as is or add a couple of tbsp of Garlic-Yogurt sauce and enjoy!
• Garlic-Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup of plain yogurt 2-4 minced garlic (depending on how much garlic you prefer) salt to taste Method: Combine all the ingredients and serve over your meal.

TURKISH SPINACH AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils.
• Bring them to a boil in the beef broth.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, cayeene, bay leaves and bulgur.
• Stir the mixture on medium heat until the onions and bulgur are lightly browned.
• Mix in the parsley and tomatoes.
• When the tomatoes begin to give up their juice, gently stir in the tomato paste. Pour the lentils and their liquid into the soup pot with the onions and bulgur.
• Simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
• Add the rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. If the lentils and bulgur have absorbed too much liquid, add more broth, water or tomato juice. Remove the bay leaves.
• Just before serving, stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt in the hot soup.
• Garnish with more fresh parsley.
• NOTES : Serve this soup with crusty bread.
• Broil the bread on both sides, rubbed with a cut garlic clove, and drizzled with olive oil.

SPINACH TURKISH PIDE

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in a large bowl.
• Add wheat flour and one cup of all purpose flour, and stir.
• Cover the mixture and put aside for 10 minutes, up to 3 hours.
• Add oil and salt.
• Slowly add the remaining flour until it is hard to stir.
• Turn the dough over the slightly floured surface, and knead it for 6-8 minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands while you are kneading. If necessary add more flour.
• Cover the dough with a plastic film and put it aside for 1.5-2 hours, until the dough doubles its initial size.
• Prepare the fillings at another bowl. Just put all the ingredients and mix.
• When the dough is ready, turn the dough over the slightly floured surface.
• Slice the dough into 10 slices and make balls. Cover the pieces with a damp cloth.
• Take the first piece and flat the dough into a circle (D=6-9 in.) with using a rolling pin.
• Brush the surface with olive oil.
• Sprinkle 2-3 tbsp stuffing onto the dough. Cover the sides, and shape it as a boat.
• Brush the top with olive oil again.
• Put the pide on preheated skillet and cook the bottom at medium temperature.
• Once the bottom is cooked, transfer the pide to an oven dish and place it to the oven which is set to broil.
• Cook the top until the surface turn to light brown-golden.