This is a popular Ramazan dish from the Aegean regions of Aydın and Manisa. A special round loaf is baked during Ramazan and used for this dish.
Serves 4
Time: 25 minutes prep, 1 hour 20 minutes cooking
Ingredients
- 4 (8-cm) round loaves of 4 (3-inch) whole wheat bread, tops cut off and reserved, hollowed out, the removed bread crumbed and dried
- 60 ml / 1/4 cup / 2 fl oz olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 (25-cm/10-inch) olive tree twigs
- 500 ml / 2 cups / 17 fl oz lamb stock (recipe below)
For the stuffing:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 (240 g / 2 1/2 cups / 8 1/2 oz) medium onions, finely sliced
- 500 g / 1 5/8 cups / 1 lb 2 oz lamb, finely chopped
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 100 g / 1 cup / 3 1/2 oz unsalted green olives, seeded, quartered
- 100 g / 1 cup / 3 1/2 oz walnuts, crushed
- 1/2 tsp dried chilli (red pepper) flakes
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley,finely sliced
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, finely sliced
- 2 fresh basil sprigs, finely sliced
- 2 dill sprigs, finely sliced
For the sauce:
- 250 g / 1 1/4 cups / 9 oz Greek yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, finely sliced
- 1/4 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2.
To make the stuffing:
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lamb and cook for 15 minutes. Add the spring onions, tomato paste, green olives, walnuts, dried chilli (red pepper) flakes, black pepper and salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, fresh mint, fresh basil and dill and mix.
Mix olive oil and garlic in a bowl, then liberally massage the insides and crust of the loaf shells with the mixture. Put the loaves on a baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven, then tightly pack with the stuffing mixture and put the loaf lids on top.
Put the olive twigs into the bottom of a large saucepan and put the stuffed loaves on top. Pour in the stock and cook over low heat, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the pan lid every 10 minutes and ladle some of the stock over the loaves.
To make the sauce:
Mix the yogurt, garlic, parsley and salt in a bowl.
Place the stuffed loaves on a large serving platter, pour over the remaining stock and then the yogurt sauce.
Meat Stock – Et Suyu
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Makes: 2 litres (8 1/2 cups/70 fl oz)
Meat stock can also be made with goat, mutton or beef shanks. Dilute with hot water before use – a ratio of 1 litre (4 1/4 cups / 34 fl oz) water to 500 ml (generous 2 cups / 17 fl oz) meat stock is good. The meat can be enjoyed cold once the stock is strained off; it is widely used in omelettes, pilafs and soups. It can also be enjoyed as is, without straining. This recipe takes 1 hour in a pressure cooker with 2 litres (8 1/2 cups / 70 fl oz) water.
Ingredients
- 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz lamb shanks, on the bone
- 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz lamb neck
- 2 lamb bones, with marrow
- 1 (120 g / 3/4 cup / 4 oz) medium onion, quartered
- 70 g / 1/2 cup / 2 3/4 oz carrot, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 bay leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
Directions
Put all the ingredients into a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) or stock pan, along with 4 litres (16 cups / 130 fl oz) water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Skim off the foam on the surface with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 3 hours over low heat.
Strain the stock before using. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays or freezer bags and use within 2 months.
From The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren. Photography by Toby Glanville. Copyright 2019 Phaidon.
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