Rose and pistachio Turkish delight recipe

Serves 18 
4 hrs 05 mins to prepare and 1 hr to cook 
177 calories / serving

Treat your Valentine to some delicately floral and nutty Turkish delight. These colourful sweets make a wonderful homemade gift for friends, family and loved ones.

Ingredients

385g (12 1/2oz) caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
50g (2oz) cornflour
1 tsp cream of tartar
100g (3 1/2oz) pistachios
2 tbsp rosewater
1/4 tsp pink food colouring
To serve
180g (6oz) icing sugar
20g (3/4oz) cornflour

Directions

Place the sugar, lemon juice and 160ml (5 1/2fl oz) of water in a pan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves then cook for 10 minutes or until it reaches 105°C on a sugar thermometer.

Meanwhile, place 50g (2oz) of the cornflour, cream of tartar and 180ml (6fl oz) of water into another saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the mixture thickens to the consistency of glue.

Gradually stir the sugar syrup into the cornflour mixture. Cook over a low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a light golden colour. (It should reach the “soft ball” – 112–115°C – stage on a sugar thermometer.)

Meanwhile, blanch the pistachios for 2 minutes in boiling water and drain. Put them on a teatowel and rub them for a minute or two to remove the outer skin. This will leave you with a lovely green pistachio.

Remove the Turkish delight mixture from the heat and stir in the rosewater, food colouring and pistachios until well combined.

Pour into a greased loaf pan lined with a double layer of cling film. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or until firm.

Mix the icing sugar and 20g (3/4oz) of the cornflour together and dust the chopping board liberally with the mixture. Turn the Turkish delight out onto the board and cut into 18 evenly sized squares using an oiled knife.

Toss the cubes in the remaining icing sugar until it is well covered.

Lahmacun Recipe

Serves 4; makes 2
Hands-on time 40 min, oven time 20 min, plus rising
Easy

Lahmacun is a traditional Middle Eastern flatbread recipe that is also known as Turkish Pizza. We've topped our version with beef mince, spices and toasted pine nuts.

Nutritional info per serving

Per ½ Lahmacun
Calories 501kcals
Fat 24.8g (5.5g saturated)
Protein 21.5g
Carbohydrates 45.7g (7.4g sugars)
Fibre 4.7g
Salt 1g

Ingredients

For the dough

200g strong white bread flour, plus extra to dust
½ tsp salt
7g fast-action dried yeast
¼ tsp caster sugar
40ml sunflower oil, plus extra for oiling
1 medium free-range egg
75ml lukewarm water

For the topping

½ onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, finely chopped
½ heaped tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
Scant tsp ground cumin
1 tsp aleppo chilli flakes (or ½ tsp regular chilli flakes)
2 heaped tbsp tomato purée (or domates salçasi)
Small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
200g 20% fat British beef mince
Dried sumac for sprinkling
35g toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
Sliced cucumber, red onion and cherry tomatoes dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil to serve

Method

1. For the dough, mix the flour, salt, yeast and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix the sunflower oil, egg and water in a jug, then stir into the dry ingredients to form a sticky dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, put the onion, green pepper, ground spices, chilli, tomato purée and parsley in a food processor and whizz until the veg is finely chopped. Add the meat and plenty of salt and stir to combine (don’t whizz). Set aside.

3. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, knead for another minute or so, then divide in half. Roll each piece out to 4mm thick on a well floured surface, keeping the remaining dough covered with a tea towel. Once both are rolled, leave to rise again for 15 minutes, covered with clean tea towels.

4. When ready, divide the topping between the bases, spreading it to the edges of the dough. Transfer to baking sheets, then bake for 10-15 minutes until the base is blistering and the topping is cooked. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with the sumac and pine nuts, then drizzle over the pomegranate molasses, if using. Serve hot, scattered with cucumber, red onion, tomatoes and extra parsley.

Make Ahead
Make the topping mixture up to 24 hours in advance and keep in the fridge.

Know How
Domates salçasi, a Turkish tomato paste, is available from Turkish shops and at melburyandappleton.co.uk.

Lamb, pumpkin and haloumi gozleme recipe

0:30 Prep | 0:30 Cook | Advanced

Enjoy the taste of Turkey with a homemade gozleme - a parcel of dough, packed with filling and cooked in a frying pan.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 2/3 cups warm water
1/4 cup Coles Brand Pure Olive Oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
350g Coles Australian Lamb Mince
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated pumpkin
250g haloumi, coarsely grated

METHOD

Step 1
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in centre. Stir in water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins or until smooth. Place in a bowl. Set aside, covered, for 30 mins to rest.

Step 2
Meanwhile, heat half the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 mins or until soft. Add paprika and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 1 min or until fragrant. Add mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 mins or until cooked through. Season and set aside to cool. Stir in the pumpkin.

Step 3
Preheat a barbecue flat plate or large frying pan on high. Divide dough into 6 portions. Roll out 1 portion on a lightly floured surface to a 20cm x 40cm rectangle. Spoon one-sixth of the mince mixture over half the dough, leaving a 2cm border around the edge. Sprinkle with one-sixth of the haloumi. Fold remaining dough over to enclose filling, pinching edges to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, mince mixture and haloumi.

Step 4
Brush dough with remaining oil. Cook, in batches, for 2-3 mins each side or until golden brown and crisp. Cut into rectangles.

Publication: Coles

Sauteed leek, silverbeet and hot sopressa gozleme recipe

0:15 Prep | 0:35 Cook | 4 Servings  | Advanced

Serve the gozleme as a starter or a side at your Middle Eastern dinner party. You could also prepare it for your family as a yummy afternoon snack.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 1/2 cups natural yoghurt
FILLING
2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch silverbeet, washed, roughly chopped
180g tasty cheddar cheese, grated
120g feta, crumbled
12 slices hot sopressa salami

EQUIPMENT
You will need an electric mixer stand fitted with a dough hook for this recipe.

METHOD

Step 1
To make the dough sift together the flour and salt. Place in the bowl of an electric mixer stand fitted with a dough hook or large mixing bowl if making by hand.

Step 2
Add the yoghurt and mix on low speed to combine, add a little water if needed to make the dough come together. Knead for 5 – 10 minutes, until dough is smooth and pliable. The dough should not be so sticky that you cannot knead it or so tough and dry that it’s difficult to roll out.

Step 3
Cover dough in cling film and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.

Step 4
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add silverbeet and blanch for 3 minutes, strain silverbeet, press with paper towel to remove excess water. Set aside.

Step 5
Place olive oil in small frypan over low heat, when hot add leeks and saute until softened for about 10 minutes. You do not want to achieve colour on the leek, just cooked through gently. Set aside.

Step 6
When dough has rested, divide into 6 equal size balls. Lightly flour a clean, smooth work surface and roll each piece of dough into a large, thin circle. Dough should look almost translucent. Spread filling ingredients into centre of dough so to fill half the gozleme with filling. If using filling below start with cheddar cheese then fetta, followed by leek, spinach then sopressa. Fold the dough over the filling, if necessary roll out the edges thinner before folding over so dough is not too thick. Press the edges with a fork. Repeat with remaining dough and ingredients.

Step 7
To cook the gozleme, brush one side of gozleme with olive oil and place in frypan over medium heat. Whilst the bottom side is cooking, brush top with olive oil and flip over when bottom side is golden and cooked through. Remove from pan, season with salt and serve warm.

NOTES
The amount of natural yoghurt and flour may need to be adjusted slightly depending on the consistency of the yoghurt used and brand of flour, if the dough is too sticky add more flour, if its too dry and water or more yoghurt.

Author: Dani Venn Publication: Coles

Turkish filo delight cigars recipe

0:20 Prep | 0:35 Cook | Makes 8 | Capable cooks

This clever twist on baklava sneaks Turkish delight into little bundles.

INGREDIENTS

4 sheets filo pastry
1/4 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped
4 (55g) pkt Fry's Turkish Delight
40g butter, melted
Icing sugar mixture, to dust
Orange zest, to decorate
White chocolate curls, to decorate (optional)

METHOD

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine the orange juice and caster sugar in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in orange rind. Set aside to cool and thicken.

Step 2
Brush 1 filo sheet with a little melted butter and top with another filo sheet. Cut into quarters. Halve Turkish Delight bars lengthways and place 1 piece in the centre of each filo stack. Fold in the sides of the filo, then roll up to enclose the filling and form a log. Place on prepared tray. Brush tops lightly with a little butter. Repeat with remaining filo, butter and Turkish Delight to make 8 cigars.

Step 3
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool slightly. Dust lightly with icing sugar. Drizzle with the orange syrup and sprinkle with the pistachio and orange zest. Decorate with chocolate curls, if using.

Author: Kathy Knudsen Image credit: Al Richardson Publication: Taste Magazine

Turkish pizza recipe

1:50 Prep | 0:35 Cook | 4 Servings | Advanced

Get set for a fun, budget-friendly dinner with a little taste of Turkey. The pide would be a great meal for a football final (or two).

INGREDIENTS

250g bread and pizza plain flour
1 teaspoon instant dried yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
150ml water
3 teaspoons olive oil, plus extra to grease

TOPPING
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
500g lamb mince
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons paprika
1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Small handful fresh mint leaves, chopped, plus extra, to serve
Small handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons couscous
125g Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt
2 teaspoons harissa

METHOD

Step 1
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast. Stir in the salt and sugar until combined. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the water and oil. Stir until just combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes. Drizzle extra oil into a large clean bowl. Add dough and turn to coat. Cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm draught-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Step 2
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and lamb. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until lamb starts to brown. Stir in cumin, coriander and paprika for 1 minute. Stir in tomato and paste. Season. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool. Stir mint and coriander into the lamb mixture.

Step 3
Preheat oven to 250C/230C fan forced. Sprinkle 2 baking trays with a little couscous.

Step 4
Knead the dough briefly in the bowl to knock out the air. Place on a floured surface. Halve dough. Roll out each piece to a 30cm disc. Place on prepared trays. Set aside for 20 minutes to rise slightly. Spread lamb mixture over dough, leaving a 2cm border. Fold in 2 sides to form an oval. Twist ends. Sprinkle dough with remaining couscous.

Step 5
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crisp and golden. Place yoghurt and harissa in a bowl. Season. Stir until nearly combined. Drizzle over pizzas. Scatter with extra mint.