Turkish Cookery Book
15 recipes resurrected from Turkish Cookery Book — each published with its full origin story, era, and historical context.
Bàlik Tùrshussu
A Turkish pickled fish preserve from 1864, in which fried salmon or swordfish slices are layered with garlic, bay leaves, myrtle leaves, peppercorns, pistachios, and mixed spice…
Ghyùghèj Bàsstissi
A slow-baked Ottoman mutton and vegetable stew, sealed in a tightly lidded pot to trap all its fragrant steam. Tender pieces of loin of mutton cook together with eggplant, okra,…
Bàmiya-Bàsstissi
A hearty Ottoman braised mutton and okra stew, layered with golden fried onions and finished with a bright squeeze of lemon and a dusting of pepper and cinnamon. This classic di…
Ghyùlāj Bàklàwāssi
A delicate Ottoman dessert of paper-thin egg-white and wheat starch crepes layered with clotted cream, rose-water, and milk, then drenched in a light sugar syrup and cut into di…
Ghyùghèj Bālighi
A simple Ottoman-style baked fish dish in which your choice of fish is layered between gently browned onions and parsley, then finished in the oven with olive oil, wine vinegar,…
Bàdinjànli Pilàw
A fragrant Ottoman rice pilaf cooked with sliced aubergine, butter, and onions, delicately perfumed with saffron and gum-mastic. This 19th-century Turkish dish produces a richly…
Aadi Bàklàwā
A classic Ottoman-style baklava made from fifty ultra-thin layers of hand-rolled paste, filled with pounded nuts and butter, soaked in a honey or sugar syrup, and finished with…
Bàndinjàn Yàlànji Dòlmàssi
A classic Ottoman stuffed aubergine dish in which hollowed egg-plants are filled with a fragrant mixture of sautéed onions, chopped aubergine flesh, rice, and mint. The name 'ya…
Aadi Yàpràk-Dòlmàssi
A classic Ottoman stuffed vine leaf dish filled with finely chopped raw mutton, rice, and onion, gently simmered in broth until the filling is tender and a rich gravy forms. Thi…
Ghyùlābiyè
A traditional Ottoman sweet confection made from wheat starch, butter, and sugar, delicately flavoured with rose-water and musk, then pressed into a dish and cut into elegant di…
Bàdingān Tùrshussu
A traditional Ottoman pickled aubergine recipe from 1864, in which split egg-plants are stuffed with chopped parsley, celery, and halved garlic cloves, tied with celery stalks,…
Dòmàtiz Pilàwi
A fragrant Ottoman tomato rice pilaf in which onions are fried golden, simmered with tomato juice and broth, then finished with a generous pour of hot butter. Simple, comforting…
Dànà Ètindèn Pāpās Yàhnissi
A slow-braised Ottoman veal stew in which egg-sized chunks of loin are sealed tightly with onions, whole garlic, cumin, and wine vinegar — no water added — and cooked low and sl…
A adi Pilaw
A simple, classic Ottoman-style steamed rice dish from 1864, in which washed rice is boiled until it absorbs all its water, then finished with a generous pour of bubbling hot bu…
Cherry Sherbet
A refreshing chilled cherry drink from the 1864 Turkish Cookery Book, made by boiling morella cherries in water, sweetening with a cherry sugar syrup, and serving over ice with…