Cook This: 3 recipes from Istanbul, including one of Turkey’s favourite breakfasts

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“Depending on where you eat in Istanbul, you will be offered a variety of different foods. It could be manti (dumpling) nodding to the Central Asian, Turkish nomadic roots, or it could be some lovely meze in a taverna, or meyhane, which would highlight a lot of multicultural, multi-religious communities,” says Warren.

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Then there’s street food, ranging from simit and açma (a fluffy soft bun) to gözleme and lokma (fried dough balls drenched in syrup). “There is so much variety, and I suppose it’s the blending of these different traditions that makes Istanbul food so exciting, so interesting.”

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SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATOES, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

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This dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions (menemen) is probably Turkey’s most popular egg-based breakfast, says Özlem Warren. Photo by Sam A Harris

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Soğanlı Menemen

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Serves: 2

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3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
85 g (3 oz) sivri biber (green pointy peppers) or padron peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) ripe, medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium eggs
Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Pinch pul biber, to serve (see note)
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
27 g (1 oz) beyaz peynir or feta, drained and crumbled (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Step 1

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Pour the olive oil into a wide non-stick pan and place over a medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring often; they will soften and start to char around the edges. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes, continuing to stir often, until the tomatoes are beginning to turn jammy, and the sauce has thickened.

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Step 2

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Reduce the heat to medium. Crack the eggs into the pan and swirl them into the sauce. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny. Try not to overcook the dish — you want to retain some sauce in which to dip your bread. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Sprinkle over the parsley, some pul biber and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Step 3

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Serve immediately, with flatbreads or tırnaklı pide ekmek (finger-dented flatbreads) on the side. You can also crumble some beyaz peynir or feta over the top, if you wish.

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Note: Find pul biber, also known as Aleppo pepper, at Turkish and Middle Eastern grocers, some supermarkets and online.

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CHEAT’S MANTI

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In Istanbul, Özlem Warren includes a traditional recipe for manti (dumplings), as well as this “cheat’s” version using shell-shaped conchiglie pasta. Photo by Sam A Harris

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Yoğurtlu, Kıymalı Makarna

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Serves: 4-5

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3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
2 sivri biber or 1 medium green (bell) pepper, deseeded and finely diced
450 g (1 lb) ground beef or lamb
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
200 g (7 oz) can chopped tomatoes
200 mL (7 fl oz) water
1 tsp ground cumin
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) dried conchiglie or pasta of your choice (use gluten-free, if preferred)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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For the garlic yogurt:
400 g (14 oz) full fat Turkish or Greek yogurt
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped

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For the spiced oil:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pul biber
2 tsp dried mint

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Step 1

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About 40 minutes before you plan to serve, take the yogurt out of the refrigerator and place in a bowl. Stir the garlic into the yogurt, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Cover and set aside to bring to room temperature.

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Step 2

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Pour the 3 tablespoons olive oil into a wide heavy pan and place over a medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, then stir in the carrots and peppers and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the minced meat and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the meat is browned, stirring continuously.