Baked Aubergine Kebab with Meatballs – Firinda Patlican KebabiTurkish Shortbread Cookies with Pistachio – Fistikli Un KurabiyesiSauteed courgettes and carrots in yoghurt – Ozlem’s Turkish Table in the USA!

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200C/400F

Step 2

First prepare your meatball mixture. Discard the crusts of the bread, soak in the water and squeeze dry. Then crumble them into a large bowl. Add all the kofte, meatballs ingredients except the ground/minced meat and knead well. This will soften the onions and enable the spices to blend in the mixture evenly. Add the minced/ground meat and knead well again until the mixture resembles a soft dough. Cover with cling film and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 3

Slice the aubergines/eggplants into about 1.5cm / 0.6in circles and spread over a large tray. Sprinkle some salt over them and leave for about 10 minutes. Gently squeeze out their excess moisture with paper towel. Place them back on a clean large tray.

Step 4

Drizzle 45ml / 3tbsp olive oil over the aubergine/eggplant slices. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, gently rub the olive oil and seasoning over the aubergine/eggplant slices.

Step 5

Now, shape your meatballs. Have a bowl of cold water near you. With damp hands, take a piece the size of a large walnut and roll into a round meatball, as large as your aubergine/eggplant slices, and slightly flatten. Place them on large dish or a tray side by side.

Step 6

Have a round baking dish with 25cm/10in diameter near you (a 25cmx25cm square baking dish would work well too). Place a slice of aubergine upright and place a meatball alongside. Repeating this, place all the aubergine slices and meatballs side by side, quite tightly, so they can stay upright.

Step 7

Gently tuck in the coarsely sliced bell peppers around the aubergine slices and meatballs. Place the tomato slices around the middle part of your round baking dish, in between aubergine and meatball layers, or if you are using a square baking dish, in between layers.

Step 8

For the sauce; combine the finely chopped garlic, 200ml/7fl oz warm water, 2tbsp tomato paste and 2tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and ground black pepper and combine well.

Step 9

Pour the sauce over the prepared aubergine, meatballs and vegetables. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes.

Step 10

Then take the cover off, gently spoon the sauce in the baking dish over the aubergine and meatballs and bake further 20 – 25 minutes, until the meatballs and vegetables cooked and slightly charred.

Step 11

Drizzle the sauce from the baking the dish over the aubergine and meatballs again. Serve with plain pilaf rice and cooling Cacik dip of cucumber and yoghurt aside.

Step 12

Preheat oven to 180C/350F

Step 13

Coarsely ground the pistachios, with a few pulses in a food processor; take care not to ground too finely, as it’s lovely to feel the texture and enjoy the taste of pistachios.

Step 14

Sift the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Sift the icing sugar in a separate bowl too.

Step 15

Put the butter in a large mixing bowl and coarsely slice. Beat using a mixer for 2 – 3 minutes, until smooth and light. Stir in the icing sugar and beat for another 2 minutes, until well combined.

Step 16

Add the sifted flour, baking powder, pinch of salt and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes, making sure all combined well.

Step 17

Stir in the coarsely ground pistachio to the mix, beat another minute or two, until all combined and turned into a crumbly dough.

Step 18

Using your hands, gently combine and turn the mixture into a dough ball. Place in a bowl, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge for 10 minutes. This helps shaping and forming the shortbread cookie balls.

Step 19

Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Step 20

Take the dough out of the fridge and pull off walnut sized pieces of dough and gently shape into balls, rolling the dough into round shape with your hands. Each dough ball will be about 3cm / 1.2in in diameter. Place the dough balls on the baking tray, with about 5cm/2in between each dough ball. You will make about 18 dough balls.

Step 21

Bake the Turkish shortbread cookies, un kurabiyes, in the preheated oven for 15 – 18 minutes, they will be pale golden; try not to overbake, so that they can retain their crumbly texture.

Step 22

Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely. Once cool, sift icing sugar over them and sprinkle a little ground pistachio over when serving. They are delicious aside tea and Turkish coffee. They can be stored in a container with a lid for a good 5-6 days.

Step 23

Afiyet Olsun.

Step 24

Place the grated courgette/zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to drain for 10 minutes. Using a tea towel or sturdy paper towels, really squeeze out any excess juice from the courgette/zucchini and put in a large bowl. Combine the grated carrots with the courgette in the bowl.

Step 25

Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pan and sauté the grated carrots and courgette for 3-4 minutes, over medium to high heat. Stir in the garlic, season with salt and ground black pepper and sauté further 4 minutes. The vegetables will soften up but still a little crunchy. Turn the heat off and leave them aside to cool in a large bowl.

Step 26

Once cool, stir in the chopped gherkins or capers and dill to the sautéed carrots and courgette. Fold in the yoghurt and chopped walnuts, combine well. Season with salt and black pepper, if needed.

Step 27

Spread over a serving plate, with a few pieces of chopped walnuts over the top, if you like. Afiyet Olsun.