When we were visiting my dad recently, he made us a casserole that was inspired by his many visits to Turkey.
My recipe is loosely inspired by his. I didn't have all the ingredients that my dad used, so I had to improvise. I couldn't find sumac, but methi has a similar bite to it. And I couldn't find pepper paste, so I used tomato puree as the base for the sauce.
I don't claim any degree of authenticity, but this was still nice!
Turkish-Inspired Casserole Recipe
1 medium aubergine
1 large courgette
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 leek
1 medium onion
6 small mushrooms
3 medium tomatoes
2tbsp tomato puree
1tbsp oregano
1tbsp parsley
1tsp methi powder
2 handfuls of spinach
- Chop the courgettes, aubergine and peppers into small pieces (about ½ inch square). Slice the leeks and onion. Cut mushrooms in half. Cut tomatoes into eighths.
- Fry the aubergine for five minutes over a medium heat.
- Add the courgette, peppers, onion, and leeks. Fry until softened.
- Add tomato puree, tomatoes, mushrooms, and seasonings.
- Add to a lidded casserole dish, and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C.
- Stir in the spinach and bake for a further 15 minutes.
- We ate ours with jacket potatoes, but you could also serve it with rice or bulgar wheat.
12 comments:
It looks kind of like ratatouille, but with some extra interesting flavours. I'm always looking for tasty veggie dished so I should give this a try. I'll have to track down some of those ingredients though - where did you get the methi powder?
I haven't started your book yet, I've got a couple I need to finish from recent travel first - I always have too many books on the go at once! (Just like other parts of my life!!)
when I see that I need to google the first two ingredients in a recipe I know I'm already in trouble. Headed to look up
aubergine and courgette
shows you what a crappy vegetarian I am ;-)
I love Turkish food -- we have an amazing restaurant for it here in Ann Arbor. I do happen to have sumac, so I'll be sure to use it when I make this ... it would be perfect for lunch right now!
Carma - eggplant and zucchini, not a crappy vegetarian, just in the wrong country ;)
Rachel, I've bought sumac for someone before, but I have a suspicion it may have been in New York, which isn't very helpful!
Oh, goodness! Those first two things, I've never heard of them!!! Must be found mainly in Turkey and Europe? You are really an adventurous cook! Now I'd love to look in a supermarker there, you must have many things that we don't! Is it true that you can buy many many kinds of cream, even clotted cream? Do you have lots of Wenslydale cheese?? That's my new favorite, so hard to find the plain variety.
Ooh yum! That looks so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
It does sound gorgeous - and improvisation-upon-a-theme is always the most fun bit of cooking!
Mmmmm, vegetarian...love it.
This sounds like a great winter warmer.
Oh, that looks GOOD! I love Turkish food and am also a veggie so this is right up my alley. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Rachel!
Looks like just the sort of dish I order in Turkish restaurants. I never considered that it would be so easy to make. Thanks for recipe.
Yum that looks so good! I need to try that!
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