Meze
From the Navigator’s Kitchen
12.01.2019, Mola Mola
TURKISH MEZE
In a traditional restaurant on Mediterranean Coast, you just need to take a seat and the waiters will do the rest. In seconds, they will cover the whole table with a lot of small plates: pickles, vegetables, small salads, many kinds of spreads and many more.
Called “Meze” in Turkish or “Tapas” in Spain, “Apperotivo” in Italy, you can find these dishes all over the Mediterranean. Paired with “Raki”, “Ouzu” or “Arak” and in Spain, with a cold glass of Cava or Sangria. Sometimes they are just starters, sometimes side dishes and sometimes they make up a whole meal.
The meze-style spread—small plates, dips, and salads meant to be shared as an appetizer course or light meal—is common throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East and one of our favorite ways to eat. In Turkey, meze is usually served with fresh pide bread just out of oven. All these meze we’ll work on best served when fresh. Leftovers can hold covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Serve your meze in room temperature before enjoying.
Dips are one of the main types of meze. Everyone is familiar with hummus. The creamy chickpea puree is a staple in the Middle East. We've got you covered with a recipe for a classic hummus. Other classic dips include banagannush—made from mashed grilled eggplant, cacik, as Greeks called “Zhaziki” a tart yogurt dip also makes perfect side, Circassian Chicken, creamy spread with nice nutty flavor, Muhammara, a spicy pepper dip that dip as a mix of savory, sweet, and smoky with a little spice and a very easy and pleasant salad made of black eyed peas with the scent and flavor of fresh herbs.
PIDE BREAD/BAZLAMA
(Makes 8 small pide)
300 gr flour
4 gr yeast
2 gr sugar
5 gr salt
200gr water
30 gr olive oil
Mix the ingredients and knead. Let it proof about 1 hour until doubles. Make 8 equal dough balls and roll about 10cm diameter. Cook on stovetop on a non stick pan.
HUMUS
Ingredients
250 gr (1 cup) Chickpeas (Canned or if dry soaked overnight and boiled)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
50 gr (¼ cup) tahini
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
10 gr (½ tbsp.) cumin
Salt to taste 50 gr (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Cumin or paprika, for garnish
Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas with 2 lt cold water and let soak overnight. Drain chickpeas, transfer to a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until very tender, 40-50 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool slightly. Drain chickpeas, reserving some cooking liquid. To the bowl of a food processor, add chickpeas and 4 cloves garlic and process for 2 minutes. Add some the cooking liquid along with tahini, lemon juice, cumin and olive oil; season with salt. Process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is very smooth, about 5 minutes. To serve, place hummus in a bowl and make a small indentation in the middle using the back of a spoon. Garnish with olive oil, cumin or paprika.
BABAGANNUSH
Ingredients
4 medium eggplants
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
50 gr (¼ cup) tahini
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Finely chopped parsley
Instructions
Heat oven broiler on high. Place garlic and eggplants, on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil until tender and charred all over, about 20 minutes for garlic, and about 40 minutes for eggplant. Peel garlic and eggplants, and scoop out flesh from eggplant and mash with lemon juice, tahini, half the parsley, salt. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with remaining parsley and serve with pita on the side for dipping.
CACIK
500 gr (2 cups) plain, whole yogurt
250 gr (1 cup) peeled and chopped cucumber
2 cloves Garlic
Salt to taste
Dry mint and extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
Instructions
Peel and chop the cucumbers. Whisk the yogurt and mix with the cucumber and garlic. Dress with dried mint and olive oil.
CIRCASSIAN CHICKEN
2 chicken breasts
50 gr (1/2 cup) bread crumbs
50 gr (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts
Parsley
Spring onion
Garlic
Bayleaf
Salt & Pepper
Instructions
Add the chicken, bayleaf, water and salt to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high flame. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove chicken, reserving the broth, and set aside to cool. When the chicken is cool, shred it finely with your fingers. Soak the bread crumbs in chicken broth and mash. Mix chopped walnuts and chopped herbs/vegetables with shredded chicken and soaked bread mash Adjust seasoning and add more poaching liquid if the sauce is too dry. Drizzle oil over the chicken, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve warm or at room temperature.
MUHAMMARA
250 gr (1 cup) Roasted red pepper and/or red pepper paste
50 gr (1/2 cup) bread crumbs
50 gr (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts
Parsley
Shallots/Spring Onions
Cumin
Chilli flakes
Garlic
50 gr (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Pomegranate molasses/Lemon
Salt
Instructions
Heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C) and place peppers directly on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until charred. Then peel away core, seeds, and skins and set aside. To a food processor, add pomegranate molasses, bread crumbs, cumin, salt, chili flakes, garlic, walnuts, olive oil, and lemon juice and pulse to combine. Then add roasted peppers and pulse a few more times to combine. A little texture is nice in this dip instead of a purée. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon for acidity, chili flakes for spice, pomegranate molasses for sweetness / depth of flavor, sea salt for saltiness, or cumin for smokiness.
BLACK EYED PEA SALAD
Ingredients
250 gr (1 cup) Black eyed peas, soaked couple of hours ahead and boiled
Parsley/Mint/Basil/Fresh aromatic herbs
Shallots/Spring Onions
Sumac
Chilli flakes
Garlic
50 gr (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Pomegranate molasses/Lemon
Salt
Instructions
Boil your black eyed peas for about 30-45 mins till soft. Drain and let it cool down. Chop your herbs, garlic and shallots/spring onions. Mix all the ingredients and add your spices, salt and lemon juice/pomegranate to taste.
