Feast Page 8
6. Spread one-quarter of the topping down the center, leaving enough edge on the dough to fold over the filling, but without covering the topping completely—you want to leave a narrow strip of the topping showing in the middle. Press on where they meet at the top and bottom ends to stick them together. If using mozzarella, sprinkle the filling with the grated mozzarella; if you are using beaten egg, spoon it over.
7. Bake in the hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Serve hot or warm.
EGGPLANT PIDE
* * *
Dough from Ground Meat Pide
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ pound (225 g) globe eggplant (1 medium), diced into small cubes
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Half of a 14-ounce (400 g) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
A few sprigs cilantro, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
1. Make the dough through the first rise as directed.
2. Put the olive oil, eggplant, and bell pepper in a saucepan and place over low heat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and Aleppo pepper and cook, covered, for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is very thick. Add the herbs and cook, uncovered, for another minute or so. Take off the heat and let cool.
3. Shape, top, and bake the pide as directed.
Turkish Meat Boreks
BAKLAVA YUFKASIYLA KIYMALI MUSKA BÖREGI
TURKEY
Most people know baklava as a sweet nut-filled pastry dripping with sugar syrup. However, baklava can also describe savory pastries such as the boreks below, which can be made in different shapes as in the photo above. Before World War I, elegant households in Istanbul kept two phyllo makers, one to make the thinner sheets for sweet baklava and the other to make sturdier sheets for boreks. Sadly, this custom has died and it is rare nowadays for phyllo to be made at home. As for the origin of phyllo dough, it is undoubtedly of Turkish origin despite the Greeks’ claim to it.
MAKES 8 INDIVIDUAL BOREKS
FOR THE FILLING
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 large onion (7 ounces/200 g), finely chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 clove garlic, minced to a fine paste
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
Scant 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
½ pound (225 g) lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and minced
Half of a 14-ounce (400 g) can whole peeled tomatoes, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons golden raisins
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon ground allspice
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE BOREKS
8 sheets phyllo dough (9 x 14 inches/22.5 x 35 cm)
5½ tablespoons (80 g) unsalted butter, melted
1. To make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir until fragrant. Add the onion and pine nuts and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly golden. Stir in the garlic.
2. Add the peppers and lamb and stir, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, golden raisins, herbs, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until there is no longer any liquid in the pan. Let cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
4. To make the boreks: Lay one phyllo sheet on your work surface. Keep the others covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel so that they don’t dry out. Brush the sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Fold it lengthwise in half. Put one-eighth of the meat filling at the end of the strip nearest to you and fold the pastry over the filling to form a triangle. Brush the strip of phyllo with butter and continue folding, keeping the triangle shape and brushing with butter every two folds or so, until you have encased the filling entirely and made a neat triangle—trim any excess. Brush with butter on both sides and transfer to a nonstick baking sheet (or a regular baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat), seam side down. Repeat to make 8 triangles total.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden all over. Serve hot or warm.
COILED BOREKS: For coiled boreks, fold a sheet of phyllo in half lengthwise and brush with butter. Spread one-eighth of the filling in a line over the length of the folded pastry, leaving about ½ inch (1 cm) clear at the edges. Roll the phyllo over the filling and continue rolling until you have encased the filling in a long log, then coil the log into a spiral (see photo). Brush with butter on both sides and bake as directed.
FAT FINGERS: To make fat fingers, fold a sheet of phyllo in half lengthwise and brush with butter. Spread one-eighth of the filling across the end nearest to you, leaving ½ inch (1 cm) free at the sides. Fold the sides over the filling and all the way down the strip of phyllo, then roll the phyllo up over the filling and continue rolling until you have completely encased the filling. Brush with butter all over and bake as directed.
Turkish “Calzone”
SAJ BOREK
TURKEY
Saj boreks are one of my favorite Turkish street foods. They are very thin flatbreads folded around a filling of spiced potatoes or spinach and cheese, baked over a saj (a large, flat metal sheet heated over woodfire or gas), then brushed with butter and served on paper to eat piping hot. The boreks are made by women who sit on low stools in the corner of a café or in small huts in parks with a large round low table in front of them, the saj to one side and the dough and fillings to the other. They spend their whole time rolling out large paper-thin sheets of dough, which they half cover with the client’s filling of choice. They then flap the plain half of the dough over the filling and deftly transfer the borek to the saj where they cook it on both sides. Once done, they brush the borek with a little butter and use a short knife with a wide curved blade to cut the borek before they serve it. It is very simple to make and absolutely exquisite.
MAKES 4 INDIVIDUAL BOREKS
Dough for Saj Bread
All-purpose flour, for shaping the dough
Spinach and Cheese Filling or Potato Filling
4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
1. Make the dough, kneading and letting it rest as directed. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into a ball and let rest covered with a damp cloth while you prepare the filling of choice.
2. Flour your work surface. Dip one ball of dough in the flour on both sides, shake off the excess flour, then roll it out as thinly as you can, sprinkling it with flour every now and then to stop it from sticking. You should end up with a round 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter.
3. If using cheese and spinach filling, sprinkle one-quarter of the feta-parsley mixture over half the dough leaving a border free. Then sprinkle one-quarter of the spinach over the feta. If using the potato filling, spread one-quarter of it over half the dough. Fold the dough over the filling to make a half-moon. Press on the edges to seal them. Repeat to make a total of 4 saj boreks.
4. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lift one filled saj borek onto the hot pan. Cook for a minute or so on one side, then flip and cook on the other until lightly crisp and golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate, brush with melted butter and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining saj boreks and serve immediately. You can also make them ahead and reheat them in a very hot oven to crisp them up, but they are best eaten straightaway.
FILLINGS
SPINACH AND C
HEESE
* * *
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 INDIVIDUAL BOREKS
4½ ounces (125 g) crumbled feta cheese
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
3½ ounces (100 g) spinach, finely shredded
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
Mix the feta with the parsley in a bowl. Put the spinach in a separate bowl and sprinkle it with a little salt. Rub the salt into the spinach with your fingers to soften it, then squeeze it dry. Loosen the shredded spinach to separate the strips as much as you can. Season with pepper to taste. Keep the spinach and cheese in separate bowls.
POTATO
* * *
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 4 INDIVIDUAL BOREKS
1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) potatoes
1 bunch (2 ounces/60 g) scallions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Boil the potatoes and mash them. Add the sliced scallions, Aleppo pepper, and olive oil. Season with salt to taste and mix well.
North African Filled Bread
R’GHAYEF
MOROCCO | TUNISIA | ALGERIA
This is the filled version of the plain m’hajjib (North African Multilayered Breads). The two fillings I give below are traditional, but you can improvise and use potatoes or grated cheese or whatever takes your fancy. These are quite irresistible and I never fail to stop at stalls that sell them whenever I am in Morocco or Tunisia. I always ask for mine to be cooked a little longer than they would normally, as I like them quite crisp.
MAKES 8 INDIVIDUAL BREADS
Dough for North African Multilayered Breads
Vegetable oil, for shaping the dough and greasing the pan
Herb Filling or Meat Filling
1. Make the dough as directed, kneading and resting. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, each weighing about 2 ounces (60 g). Roll each piece into a ball. Let the balls of dough rest while you prepare the filling of your choice.
2. Working with 4 balls of dough at a time, with oiled hands and on an oiled work surface, flatten the balls of dough into thin rounds as directed. Spread one-eighth of the filling of your choice over the middle. Fold one-third of the round over the filling, then fold the other third over to make a rectangle. Fold one-third of the rectangle over and the other under to end up with a 5-inch (12.5 cm) square. The reason for folding one side up and the other down is to enclose the filling evenly. Let rest while you make 3 more squares.
3. Flatten the squares of dough with your fingers as thinly as you can, being careful not to tear the dough and expose the filling. Grease a large nonstick skillet with a little oil and place over medium-high heat. Place 1 square in the hot pan (or 2 if they fit). Dip your fingers in a little oil and drizzle over the bread. Cook for 1½ to 2 minutes, or until the bottom is lightly golden. Turn over, drizzle with a little more oil, and cook for another 1½ to 2 minutes. Remove to parchment paper or a wire rack. Cook the remaining 3 breads in the same way. Then form and cook the remaining 4 breads in the same manner, making sure to oil your hands, work surface, and pan in between each bread. Serve immediately.
FILLINGS
HERB
* * *
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 FILLED BREADS
1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), grated on the coarse side of a grater
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Sea salt
Mix the onion, parsley, paprika, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and salt to taste in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
MEAT
* * *
MAKES ENOUGH FOR 8 FILLED BREADS
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 small onion (3½ ounces/100 g), finely chopped
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely diced
7 ounces (200 g) lean ground lamb or beef
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until softened. Add the tomato and cook until all the excess liquid has evaporated.
2. Add the meat, paprika, cumin, black pepper, and salt to taste and cook, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Make sure you finely break up the meat so you can spread the filling evenly inside the dough. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Indonesian Multilayered Bread
MARTABAK
INDONESIA
Indonesian shallots are very small. In the recipe below I call for ten, but if you can only find medium shallots, use five.
MAKES 8 INDIVIDUAL MARTABAK
FOR THE DOUGH
2½ cups (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for soaking the dough
FOR THE FILLING
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 small shallots (7 ounces/200 g total), halved and cut lengthwise into thin wedges
10½ ounces (300 g) finely ground lean lamb or goat
1 bunch scallions (2 ounces/60 g), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon finely ground white pepper
½ teaspoon raw cane sugar
Sea salt
3 organic eggs, beaten with salt and pepper
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
2½ ounces (75 g) palm sugar
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
4 bird’s eye chilies, thinly sliced
Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
Sea salt
1. To make the dough: Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the vegetable oil and ¾ cup (180 ml) water. Gradually bring in the flour and mix until you have a rough dough.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 3 minutes. Shape into a ball, invert the bowl over the dough, and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead for 3 more minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Place the balls of dough in a shallow bowl and pour enough vegetable oil to barely cover them—soaking the dough will make it more supple and will help flatten it out very thinly. Don’t worry about wasting the oil: you will be using it later to fry the martabak.
3. To make the filling: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the meat and sauté, breaking up any lumps, until it has lost all traces of pink. Add the scallions and season with the curry powder, white pepper, sugar, and salt to taste. Cook for a couple more minutes and take off the heat. Let cool slightly before mixing in the beaten egg.
4. To make the dipping sauce: Combine the palm sugar, cane sugar, and 1¼ cups (310 ml) water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then add the garlic and chilies and let bubble gently until the sauce has thickened. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and take off the heat. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.
5. To make the martabak: Drain the oil from the dough into a skillet in which you will fry the martabak—ideally the oil should be to a 2-inch (5 cm) depth. Take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands as thinly as you can (see Note). Once you have flattened your dough, spread one-eighth of the filling in the center. Fold one side over the filling, then the other side. Then, fold the top and bottom over the filling so that you have a square with the filling encased evenly. Fill the other martabaks in the same way.
6. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Place the skillet with the vegetable oil over medium heat and when the oil is hot (you can judge by dropping a piece of bread
into the oil; if the oil bubbles around it, then it is ready), flatten one martabak slightly with your hands, making sure not to tear the dough, and slide it into the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden. Remove to the wire rack to drain off the excess oil. Fry the remaining martabaks. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.
NOTE: Martabak vendors first flatten the dough with their hands into a large round that they then pick up and flap in a circular motion before slapping it against the greased work surface; with each flap the round gets larger and thinner until it is paper-thin, at which point they slap it against the work surface and stretch it even further. I am not suggesting you do it this way, as it requires a lot of practice.
Indian Meat Breads
KEEMA NAAN
INDIA | PAKISTAN
The dough for this filled naan is slightly different from that for the plain Naan in that it uses both milk and yogurt instead of milk and water. You can also use the dough for the plain naan to make keema naan. And you can replace the keema filling with potatoes (by substituting an equal amount of mashed potatoes for the meat), or grated cheese, or shredded coconut mixed with a little sugar for a slightly sweet naan. The only filling you need a recipe for is the meat filling; for the other filling ideas you just need about a cup. And again, even though the ultimate naan is that baked in a tannur oven, you get excellent results by baking yours on a pizza stone or hot baking sheet in the oven or cooking it on a tawa (shallow, flat skillet).
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL FILLED NAANS
FOR THE DOUGH
3 cups (360 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and shaping
1 teaspoon sugar
1 packet (7g/2¼ teaspoons) instant (fast-acting) yeast