Oklava
Page 5
Slide your pide onto a very flat baking sheet, then place it on the preheated baking tray or pizza stone. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Remove and brush the sides of the pide with the melted butter, then top with some smoked salsa, chilli yogurt, walnuts, feta, mint and parsley. Make 5 more in the same way. If you want to serve the pides all together, set them aside after baking, then reheat and garnish as described.
BRAISED OCTOPUS PIDE WITH RICOTTA, GREEN OLIVES, HONEY, PICKLED CAPER SHOOTS & THYME
The flavours of this pide – my favourite – are quite unusual and I find that customers often love it because they aren’t expecting it to work. If you’re not a fan of sweet with savoury I suggest leaving out the honey. Use capers if you can’t find pickled caper shoots (they are available in Turkish supermarkets) and substitute pre-marinated octopus if you can’t source fresh.
MAKES 6
1.5–2kg (3lb 5oz–4lb 8oz) octopus
150ml (5fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved
2 sprigs of rosemary
3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
3 tablespoons Turkish red wine vinegar, or any good-quality vinegar
1 quantity Pide dough
flour, for dusting
6 heaped tablespoons ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons thyme leaves
120g (4¼oz) good-quality green olives, pitted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
80g (2¾oz) pickled caper shoots, or capers
6 tablespoons honey
50g (1¾oz) ricotta salata cheese (or use Parmesan), shaved, to garnish
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3. Put the octopus in a large roasting tray along with half the olive oil and a lemon half. Cover with foil and bake for 1½–2 hours until tender. The best way to check if the octopus is ready is to cut a little off and taste it; if it is chewy, it needs a little longer. Remove and drain the octopus and allow it to cool completely.
If you happen to be having a barbecue, grill the octopus over hot coals until well coloured and a little charred on both sides. Alternatively, heat a ridged griddle pan until very hot and cook the octopus in the same way.
Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F), Gas Mark 9. Put a pizza stone or a large flat baking tray in the oven. Cut off the octopus legs and cut them into 1cm (½in) slices. Remove the beak and any other tough bits in the centre, then rinse the head and cut it into 1cm (½in) slices.
Put the remaining olive oil in a bowl along with the rosemary, garlic and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Leave the octopus to marinate in the refrigerator for as long as you can, preferably overnight.
To make the pides (I suggest making them one at a time), roll out a ball of dough on a floured surface into a large oval shape about 40 x 15cm (16 x 6in). Spread one-sixth of the ricotta down the middle, leaving a border of 3cm (1¼in) border around the edge. Sprinkle over some thyme and green olives and season with salt and pepper. Top with a layer of the octopus. Fold in the sides as shown here, and pinch the ends together really well so that the pide doesn’t unravel during baking.
Slide your pide onto a very flat baking sheet, then place it on the preheated baking tray or pizza stone. Bake for about 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Remove and brush the sides with the melted butter, then top with the caper shoots, a drizzle of honey and some ricotta shavings. Make 5 more in the same way. If you want to serve the pides all together, set them aside after baking, then reheat and garnish as described.
CHEESE SAUCE PIDE WITH CHARRED LEEKS & CRISPY POTATOES
This pide is very subtle in its flavours. The cheese sauce is not too strong and provides a lovely creamy centre. You could also drizzle a little garlic oil over the leeks for an extra layer of flavour. Tulum is generally sold in jars and has a very strong, almost Parmesan-like flavour.
MAKES 6
6 large leeks, dark green parts removed
3 large potatoes
sunflower oil, for frying
1 quantity Pide dough
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 tablespoons tulum cheese (or use feta or a crumbly goats’ cheese)
flaky sea salt
fine salt
FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE
65g (2½oz) unsalted butter
45g (1¾oz) plain flour
500ml (18fl oz) milk
50g (1¾oz) pecorino cheese (or any hard cheese), grated
85g (3oz) hellim cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F), Gas Mark 9. Put a pizza stone or a large flat baking tray in the oven.
First make the cheese sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then whisk in the flour. Add one-third of the milk and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk in 2 batches, whisking well each time. Turn the heat right down and cook gently for about 15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Finally, whisk in the cheese – the pecorino will melt, but the hellim won’t. Transfer to a shallow tray and allow to cool completely.
Put the leeks on a baking tray and roast for about 20 minutes, turning halfway through, until the outside is charred. For a smoky flavour, the barbecue is the best place to cook them. Peel off the burnt outer layer of the leeks, leaving on a few of the charred bits, as they provide good flavour. Cut the leeks into 2cm (¾in) slices.
Slice the potatoes as finely as possible on a mandoline (watch your fingers!). Place in a bowl of warm water to remove excess starch, then lay them out to dry on a clean tea towel. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 160°C (325°F). Alternatively, heat a 2cm (¾in) depth of oil in a deep frying pan over a high heat. When hot enough, a small cube of bread added to the oil should sizzle immediately. Put a batch of potatoes in the fryer, one at a time to avoid them sticking together and fry until golden and crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper, then season with fine salt. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.
To make the pides (I suggest making them one at a time), roll out a ball of dough on a floured surface into a large oval shape about 40 x 15cm (16 x 6in). Spread one-sixth of the cheese sauce down the middle, leaving a 3cm (1¼in) border around the edge. Sprinkle over some dried oregano and sesame seeds and top with a layer of leeks, then season with flaky salt. Fold in the sides as shown here, and pinch the ends together really well so that the pide doesn’t unravel during baking.
Slide your pide onto a very flat baking sheet, then slide it onto the preheated baking tray or pizza stone. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Remove and brush the sides with the melted butter. Add a line of crispy potatoes down the middle, then sprinkle over some tulum cheese. Make 5 more in the same way.
Barbecue chicken wings with garlic & kayseri pastirma dressing
Chicken livers with garlic, rosemary, cumin & date butter on toast
Salad of baharat-roast duck with feta, sumac onions, poached figs & salted walnuts
Grilled quails with a palm sugar, sumac & oregano glaze
Chilli-garlic glazed chicken with za’atar crumbs
Beef meatballs in sour cherry sauce with bulgur wheat pilav
Veal shish & onion salad flatbread with charred sivri biber relish & yogurt
Rump steak tantuni with red onion, pepper & parsley salad
Artichoke & beef dolma
Çemen-braised short ribs with brown butter bread sauce
Fried beef köfte
Spiced beef & bulgur wheat köftes
Spiced braised oxtail with shallots
Fried beef & allspice köftes
Rabbit fritters
Crispy pomegranate-glazed lamb breast with yogurt
Quince & rosemary-glazed lamb rump
Spiced fried crispy lamb’s liver
Family kebabs
Adana köfte with pitta bread, s
picy tomato sauce & yogurt
Şeftali
Mum’s hummus
Mum’s pilav
Shepherd’s salad
Cyprus potato salad with romaine lettuce, herbs, spring onions, lemon & olive oil
BARBECUE CHICKEN WINGS WITH GARLIC & KAYSERI PASTIRMA DRESSING
Chicken wings are one of my absolute favourite foods. More and more restaurants are serving them in different guises, and this is my take on them. Kayseri pastirma is a type of really delicious air-dried beef coated in çemen (a Turkish spice paste), and it’s worth tracking down in your local Turkish supermarket. If you can’t find it, Spanish cecina would be a good alternative, or you could use another cured meat, such as chorizo or salami, although the flavours wouldn’t be quite the same. This dressing works very well with lots of things; in the restaurant we also use it with shellfish such as mussels and clams.
SERVES 4
150ml (5fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the wings
8 slices Kayseri pastirma, sliced into 1cm (½in) strips
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
50ml (2fl oz) sherry vinegar
12 chicken wings, jointed into 2 pieces
small bunch of bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves shredded
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a barbecue until the coals turn grey. Alternatively, heat the grill until medium-hot.
Pour the olive oil into a small pan, add the garlic and cook over a medium heat until it starts to turn golden brown. Add the pastirma and cook until it starts to turn crispy, then add the thyme and sherry vinegar. Remove from the heat, pour into a large bowl and leave to cool.
Coat the chicken wings in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook on the barbecue or under the grill for about 15 minutes, turning them every 1–2 minutes to ensure even cooking. Once they are golden brown and cooked through, remove from the heat and immediately put them in the bowl with the dressing. Add the parsley, give it all a good toss and serve sprinkled with a little extra sea salt over the top.
CHICKEN LIVERS WITH GARLIC, ROSEMARY, CUMIN & DATE BUTTER ON TOAST
If you’ve already made the Medjool Date Butter, this is a really quick and simple dish to throw together. The sweet, buttery sauce complements the iron-rich flavour of the chicken livers.
SERVES 4
4 slices white crusty bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g (1lb 2oz) chicken livers, trimmed and sinews removed
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large sprig of rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2–3 heaped tablespoons Medjool Date Butter
small handful flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
flaky sea salt
Toast the bread, either in a toaster or under a hot grill, then set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and add the chicken livers. Sauté them for 1–2 minutes if you like them pink in the middle; if you prefer them cooked through, sauté for 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and cumin and cook for another minute or so, or until the garlic starts to brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the date butter, according to taste. Gently stir until melted, then season with salt. Add the parsley and divide the mixture between the slices of toast.
SALAD OF BAHARAT-ROAST DUCK WITH FETA, SUMAC ONIONS, POACHED FIGS & SALTED WALNUTS
I started out using baharat only in bread, but soon discovered how versatile this spice mixture is, and now use it in all sorts of dishes, including meat and fish recipes. If you don’t have time to make your own using the recipe in this book, you can buy it from most Turkish supermarkets.
SERVES 4 – 6
1 free-range duck, giblets removed
extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing and drizzling
2 tablespoons baharat (available in Turkish supermarkets)
150ml (5fl oz) water
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
1 star anise
1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
4 figs, cut in half
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sumac
150g (5½oz) mixed salad leaves
leaves from 4 sprigs of mint
120g (4¼oz) Turkish white cheese or feta
1 lemon
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE WALNUTS
1 large egg white
20g (¾oz) icing sugar
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
125g (4½oz) walnuts
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Alternatively, if you have a barbecue that can cook things slowly, cook it on that for extra flavour.
Rub the duck with a little olive oil, the baharat and salt. Place it upside down in a roasting tin and roast for 1 hour. Carefully drain off any excess oil from the tin and turn the duck over. Return to the oven for 1 more hour. Remove the duck and leave it to rest and cool a little. Reduce the oven temperature to 170°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3.
Meanwhile, put the water in a small pan, add the sugar, star anise and vinegar, and bring to the boil. Continue boiling to reduce the liquid by half. Add the figs, cut-side down, and cook gently for 4–5 minutes, or until they collapse just a little. Remove the figs and leave them to cool to room temperature.
To make the walnuts, whisk the egg white with the icing sugar, salt and some black pepper until a little frothy. Add the walnuts and coat well. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 5–10 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
In a small bowl, mix together the onion and sumac with a pinch of salt. Massage them together a little and set aside. Tear the duck into pieces; it is up to you whether you would like it off the bone or not. Season the duck with salt.
Place the salad leaves in a serving bowl along with the figs, mint leaves, onions and feta, and mix gently. To serve, place a few pieces of duck on a plate, add some salad and scatter over some walnuts. Drizzle over some olive oil and a squeeze of lemon to finish.
GRILLED QUAILS WITH A PALM SUGAR, SUMAC & OREGANO GLAZE
This was one of the first recipes I created when working for Peter Gordon at The Providores. I’d never cooked with palm sugar before I worked there and it was really exciting to experiment with this new ingredient. The birds are definitely best cooked on the barbecue, but if the weather isn’t on your side, you can also cook them under a grill or in the oven.
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons palm sugar, pounded finely using a pestle and mortar
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon dried oregano
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 quails, spatchcocked
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Caper Dressing, to serve
Heat a barbecue until the coals have turned grey, or preheat a grill.
Mix together the palm sugar, sumac, oregano and olive oil. Pour half the mixture over the quails and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour. Season the quails with salt and pepper and place them on the barbecue or under the grill skin-side down. Make sure the coals are not too hot, or you may burn the skin. After 1 minute, turn the quails over, then turn every minute or so until they are cooked to your liking. I like to keep mine a little pink, so I cook them for 6–8 minutes. Just before removing them, brush with the remaining marinade and cook for another minute.
Remove the quails from the barbecue and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. Serve with the caper dressing.
CHILLI-GARLIC GLAZED CHICKEN WITH ZA’ATAR CRUMBS
This recipe was designed for the press launch of Oklava, held on a rooftop in east London. Conscious of the press’s power to make or break a new restaurant, I was keen to create the best chicken dish I could, something that would stick in the memory of the journalists and critics attending. Torn between developing a smoky barbecue
d chicken and a crispy fried chicken, I came up with this recipe, which combines the best of both. It’s sticky, smoky, crispy and thoroughly messy to eat, especially if, as I do, you prefer to get stuck in with your hands. Although the recipe tells you how to make this in the oven, it’s really best cooked over a barbecue for added smokiness, so if the sun is shining, get outside and cook al fresco. Serve with Lime Mayonnaise.
SERVES 4 – 6
1 medium free-range chicken, cut into 10 pieces through the bone
olive oil, for drizzling
1 lime, cut into wedges
FOR THE BRINE
1 litre (1¾ pints) cold water
50g (1¾oz) fine salt
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
FOR THE GLAZE
3 red chillies
15 garlic cloves
325g (11½oz) palm sugar
50g (1¾oz) Turkish hot pepper paste (açi biber salçasi)
165ml (5½fl oz) cider vinegar
FOR THE ZA’ATAR CRUMBS
80g (2¾oz) za’atar
30g (1oz) sesame seeds, lightly toasted
20g (¾oz) sumac
300g (10½oz) dried breadcrumbs
flaky sea salt
Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3. Remove the skin from all the chicken pieces except the wings. Put it on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and crisp, draining off the fat a few times during cooking. Once the skin has cooled, chop it finely. Turn the oven up to 240°C (475°F), Gas Mark 9.