Phyllo Extravaganza!

Oh yes, oh yes!  Baklava, Kataifi, and then some.  I'm keeping the fabulous desserts of Greece and Turkey alive in America, right in my very own kitchen.  With the scents of honey, pistachio, and walnuts wafting from my oven (and a smorgasbord of leftovers across my countertops), I don't regret one second of the many hours it took to make this pastry feast.

I made a traditional Turkish pistachio baklava, Fistikli durum (a pistachio-paste pastry roll), a sesame-molasses roll, Tel Kadayif (a kataifi and walnut cake), and kataifi miniatures.  All the pastries ended up smothered in Kaymak, a traditional Turkish milk cream.  As far as the traditional baklava goes, I already gave you a recipe here, and I didn't make many changes, save for an addition of about 1 tbsp. rosewater to the syrup and a post-bake dusting of pistachios.  

 

For all the others, the recipes are about to follow.  (*Four* recipes are contained within this blog post.  I couldn't help myself.)

And what song could match up with the sugary saturation and sensory overload of this phyllo feast?  None other than the Beatles' "Savoy Truffle," a delicious White Album delight.   

Fistikli Durum:

The paste and pastry:

--2 c. roasted pistachios

--4 c. whole milk (although any would do)

--1/2 c. white sugar

--1 tbsp. cardamom

--1 tsp. cinnamon

--1 tsp. allspice

--1 package phyllo dough

--1 stick unsalted butter, melted

The syrup:

--1 c. water

--1 c. white sugar

--1 c. honey

Before beginning your phyllo work, de-thaw your packaged dough according to the instructions on the box (typically, you'll need to plan a day ahead).  For instructions on working with the phyllo, see my previous Baklava post.

For this specific recipe, you'll need to plan at least two days ahead . . . .

In a large bowl, soak the pistachios in the whole milk for 24-48 hours, or until the pistachios have soaked up all the milk (to the naked eye).  Strain the pistachios, and *save* the remaining milk (you're going to use it for your Kaymak!)  In a food processor, combine soaked pistachios, sugar, and spices.  Pulse until a paste has formed.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Spoon the paste into a row, length-wise, on one piece of phyllo.  Brush melted butter on the rest of the dough surface.

Carefully roll the dough and place in buttered 18" buttered jelly roll pan (in Athens and Istanbul, you'll see these large trays in bakeries, beautifully filled with baklava and other phyllo pastries).  Continue to make these rolls until you've filled the cake pan.  Then slice the rolls so that you have individual pieces (if you don't slice (or "score") the phyllo before you put it in the oven, you will not be able to cut it afterward.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until just golden-colored on top.  Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.

In a saucepan, make your syrup.  Heat the water, sugar, and honey until the sugar has dissolved.  Pour over your pistachio rolls, and allow them to sit for at least 8 hours.

Sesame-Molasses Roll:

The filling and pastry:

--1 c. walnuts

--1/4 c. tahini

--1/4 c. pomegranate molasses (this is a specialty item you'll have to look for at Middle Eastern groceries or buy through special order, but in a pinch, you could also make this yourself by blending molasses and pomegranate juice, 3 parts molasses to 1 part pomegranate juice)

--1 tbsp. cinnamon

--1 tbsp. orange zest

--1/2 c. white sugar

--2 packages phyllo dough

--dash of black sesame seeds

--dash of white sesame seeds (both my black and white sesame seeds came straight from the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul)

--1 c. unsalted butter, melted

The syrup:

--1 c. water

--1 c. white sugar

--1/2 c. honey

--2 tbsp. orange blossom water (the taste of orange--both in the orange zest above and the orange blossom water here--nicely complements the sesame flavor)

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, tahini, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, sugar, and orange zest until you've got a thick-ish paste that has the consistency of a tootsie roll(!)  Lay out the phyllo dough, and roll out a very long and thin strip of your paste--it should have an approximately 1/8" diameter or smaller.  Place it horizontally on the phyllo dough, and brush butter on the remaining dough sheet.  Now roll up the phyllo dough so that the paste is at the center.  Next, brush another sheet of phyllo with butter, and roll your already-rolled piece (with the paste at the center) again.  Repeat 8 times per roll (this will give you a lot of pastry dough around the center paste).  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the finished roll in a buttered 13"x 9" cake pan.  Repeat steps until the pan is filled with rolls.  Cut/score the rolls so that you have individual pieces (again, you'll need to do this *before* baking).  Bake for approx. 25 minutes, or until phyllo is slightly golden-colored on top.  Remove from oven an allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

While the pastries are cooling, make the syrup.  Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Pour over pastry rolls and allow to sit for at least 8 hours.  Sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds.

Tel Kataifi:

The cake:

--1 package kataifi pastry dough (as with traditional phyllo sheets, you'll need to de-thaw this in advance)

--1/2 c. walnuts

--1/2 c. pistachios

--1 tsp. cinnamon

--1 tsp. cardamom

--1 tsp. allspice

--1 tsp. cloves

--1/2 c. brown sugar

--1 stick unsalted butter, melted

The syrup:

--1 c. water

--1 c. white sugar

--1 c. honey

--1 tsp. rosewater

--1 tsp. orange blossom water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

First, divide your kataifi dough into thirds (this is a bit hard to work with, and it's constantly breaking and drying out).  It will come in a very long bunch that has been folded into thirds or fourths.  Unfold the dough (it will look like a large bunch of uncooked vermicelli pasta), and using kitchen shears, cut it into three chunks.  Cover with a damp cloth so that it doesn't dry out.  

In a food processor, combine the walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, and brown sugar until all ingredients are combined and the nuts are chopped (but not powdered).  Divide the mixture into thirds.  In a buttered 13" x 9" baking dish, spread 1/3 of the nut mixture on the bottom of the pan.  Take the first chunk of kataifi, untangle it, and spread in bunches over the top of the nut mixture.  (The kataifi does *not* have to be in any neat form--just place it evenly, in knots and small bundles, across the top of the mixture.)  Brush butter onto the top of the kataifi, add another layer of the nut mixture, and then repeat once more so that you have three layers of the nut mixture and the kataifi (ending with the kataifi on top).  

Brush butter onto the top kataifi layer and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Don't let the kataifi burn--as soon as it begins to take on a slightly golden color, remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  While it's cooling, make the syrup.

In a small saucepan, heat the water, honey, sugar, rosewater, and orange blossom water until the sugar has dissolved.  Pour evenly over the layered kataifi "cake" and allow to sit for at least 8 hours.

And if you're up for a challenge, you can use the kataifi and walnut mixture to make kataifi minis!  (Roll the kataifi into little nests, place them in mini cupcake papers, fill with walnut mixture, and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from mini cupcake papers, place in baking dish, and pour syrup over and allow to sit for 6-8 hours.)

Now, what plate of baklava is complete without a thick cream sauce?  My "Cremaster" boyfriend monitored the Kaymak as it cooked for eight hours, but it didn't drive him to scale any walls (yes, I'm making a Matthew Barney pun).

Kaymak (Turkish milk cream), adapted from Binnur's Turkish Cookbook: 

*Note: you need a lot of lead time for this recipe

--2 cups pistachio milk (this is the leftover milk from the pistachios you soaked for the Fistikli Durum, plus the addition of any whole milk needed to bring the measurement up to 2 cups)

--2 cups heavy whipping cream

Whisk the milk and cream together in a Pyrex bowl.  Next, heat approx. 2 cups of water in a small saucepan, with the Pyrex bowl sitting on top (creating a double boiler).  Once the water (and the cream mixture, sitting on top) has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and allow the cream mixture to simmer for eight hours.  Yes, this is such a long time, but it's worth it!  Whisk the mixture every 15 minutes or so, and once eight hours have passed, remove from heat, allow to cool.  Then cover the cream mixture (still in the Pyrex bowl, but now thickened from cooking) with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Once the mixture has been in the refrigerator for approximately 8-10 hours, a thick mound should have formed in the middle of the bowl, cut it/spoon it onto the top of prepared baklava.  

[If you don't have time to make Kaymak, a regular vanilla ice cream goes very nicely on top, too!] 

Baklava and other phyllo pastries do not need refrigeration, and they last for quite awhile (at least a week or two!).  Delicious desserts for days, and days, and days!

Grilled Halloumi & Mediterranean Pesto

Halloumi is a meaty cheese from Cyprus that's often served in both Greece and Turkey.  I tried it for the first time in Athens, and then saw it on menus in Istanbul, as well.  This recipe is a variation of a halloumi, basil, and olive sandwich from a little restaurant that I was more than surprised to see in Istanbul: the "Red River Pub," complete with 1940s Howard Hawks and John Wayne memorabilia frosting the walls.  It's comforting to know my love of Westerns, cowboy boots, and Clint Eastwood needn't go dormant if I ever planned a move to the Mediterranean or the Golden Horn.  And lucky for me, my little table scape was made complete with an Athens vintage-shop find: original Greek cinema lobby cards from some classic American Westerns.

If the Charlottesville supermarkets weren't lacking, I'd have made this recipe with orzo.  But given the options, I settled for a bow-tie pasta with a roasted red pepper, olive, & basil sauce (a Mediterranean Pesto!).  I tossed the pasta in the sauce and topped it with some slices of grilled halloumi (you *can* buy this in America at Whole Foods, and likely at other specialty groceries, too).  It's a super easy and delicious recipe. 

And I know I already gave you a Clash song, but "The Right Profile" is just too perfect not to use here.  Referring to Montgomery Clift, Joe Strummer sings out, "Where did I see this guy?  In Red River?"  Yes!

Grilled Halloumi:

--1 block halloumi (you'll find this in a specialty cheese section)

--2 tbsp olive oil

Slice halloumi into 1/2" pieces.  On an oiled, cast-iron grill pan, grill halloumi over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes on each side.  Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Mediterranean Pesto Pasta:

--1 lb. bow-tie pasta (or whatever style pasta you like: orzo would be a great substitution, and a gemelli or ditalini would add an Italian twist)

--1 large bunch of fresh basil (about 3 large handfuls)

--1 c. Moroccan dry-cured black olives, pitted and chopped (also a deli specialty item)

--1 c. roasted red peppers, chopped (you can easily roast these yourself over a gas flame or buy them pre-roasted--your choice!)

--1/2 c. capers

--1 clove garlic, minced

--1 tsp. paprika

--1 tsp. red pepper flakes (it adds a little kick--feel free to leave it out if you don't like the heat)

--1 tbsp. salt, or to taste

--1-2 tsp. pepper, or to taste

--1/4 c. red wine vinegar

--approx. 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to thin out the pesto

This is so easy: put all ingredients in a large food processor and pulse.  If the mixture looks thick, continuing slowly adding extra virgin olive oil while pulsing until you have a pesto sauce of medium thickness.  Toss the pasta in the sauce and serve with one or two slices of grilled halloumi on top.  I hope this recipe (and its accompanying cinema lobby-card image) would make the Red River Pub proud!

Lamb & Feta Stuffed Peppers

Αθήνα, σ 'αγαπώ!  

On my last night in Athens, Greece, I visited Athinaikon, an adorable little taverna in the Omonia district.  The Lonely Planet description didn't do justice to it (and neither did a few of the other reviews I've seen): the waitstaff were amazingly friendly, and the food was delicious!  In fact, my waiter even sent me home with paper place mats featuring the restaurant in the 1930s: "souvenirs to take!"  (Of course, I had to use one of these in my photo!)

I've modeled the stuffing inside these peppers after Athinaikon's delicious lamb and pork sausage plate.  (In business since 1932, this taverna specializes in mezedes, the Greek version of tapas.)  My recipe features a roasted red pepper filled with ground lamb, pork, olives, feta, and a few other flavors of the Mediterranean.  I've finished it off with a tzatziki sauce and garnished the plate with cucumber rounds.

Athens is beautiful and gritty: it's filled with grimy sidewalks and traffic-filled streets that call me back to New York, as well as ancient ruins and antiques markets that turn the city into a glorious palimpsest.  For Athens, I'm directing you to Bright Eyes' "The City Has Sex."

Peppers:

--1 lb. ground lamb (I always buy ground meat from Whole Foods--it's often just better, but it's also one of the only places where I can find lamb)

--1 lb. ground pork

--4 large red bell peppers

--3 large eggs

--1/4 c. kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

--2 tbsp. capers, chopped

--1 tsp. red pepper flakes

--1 clove garlic, minced

--1 tbsp. salt, or to taste

-- 1 tbsp. pepper, or to taste

--1 tbsp. fresh thyme 

--1 tsp. paprika

--1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

--1 c. crumbled feta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Be careful not to over-mix: the meat will become tough.  Mix just until all ingredients are folded in.

Remove the tops of the red peppers.  Slice out the ribs and remove all seeds.  If the peppers won't stand up on their own, slice the bottom of each ever-so-slightly so that they'll stand up in your baking dish.  Spoon the meat mixture into each pepper so that there is a little mountain of filling coming out of the pepper, and place in a 13 x 9" baking dish.  Add about 1/8" of water to the bottom of the pan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour.  After 1 hour, remove foil and continue to bake for approximately 30 minutes more, or until the internal temperature of the meat has reached 160 degrees F.  While these are cooling, start on your yogurt sauce:

Tzatziki sauce:

--1 c. Greek yogurt

--1/2 cucumber, chopped into small pieces

--1 tbsp. salt, or to taste

--1 tbsp. pepper, or to taste

--1 clove garlic, minced

--2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

--2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

--a few sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely

Mix ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Drizzle (or put heaping spoonfuls) onto each pepper, and garnish with a few cucumber slices.  

Mango Cardamom Tres Leches Cake

Traditionally a Mexican dessert, I've re-worked the "Tres Leches" cake into a rich treat in which Near-East spice meets Far-East fruit.  Infused with cardamom, topped with a mango whipped cream, and surrounded by a mango-cardamom dipping sauce, this treat is to die for.

Tres Leches, of course, means "three milks"--this cake is meant to be eaten straight from the refrigerator, delightfully dripping with the blend of milks and creams with which it has been drenched.  I first got the idea to pair mango and cardamom after sampling a similarly flavored vodka cocktail at Clementine, an adorable little restaurant in Baltimore, MD.  But in sheer anticipation of my upcoming trip to Istanbul [*lookout for dinners and desserts made with spices from the Grand Bazaar following my return on March 10th!], I've been itching to put cardamom in everything.     

With a fruit-and-spice combination that gives this rich, creamy treat the color shades of "just before evening," I'm dying to pair it with the Fruit Bats' "Magic Hour," a truly pretty song that conjures the magical quality of both late-day visions and traveling on the road.

Cake ingredients:

--6 eggs

--1 c. granulated sugar

--2 tsp. vanilla

--1/2 c. almond milk (you could use whole milk or soy milk, too!)

--1/3 c. canola oil

--1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

--1 tsp. baking powder

--pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla, milk, and oil until blended.  In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly beat the flour mixture into the egg mixture until you have a cake batter.  Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 13 x 9" cake pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or just until tester comes out clean from the center.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Cream syrup:

--1/4 c. heavy cream

--1/4 c. mango juice

--12 oz. evaporated milk (1 can)

--14 oz. sweetened condensed milk (1 can)

--2 tsp. ground cardamom

Whisk ingredients together in a bowl.  Using a toothpick, pierce the cooled cake approximate 100 times all over the cake (you want to cream a LOT of little holes that will allow the cake to soak up this syrup).  Pour the cream syrup over the cake, and spoon the runoff back onto the top until the cake has absorbed the liquid.  (You may need to poke more toothpick holes after pouring the cream syrup on top to allow the cake to absorb it.)

Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.  After it has chilled, then make the whipped topping. 

Whipped Cream topping:

--1 c. heavy whipping cream

--2 tbsp. mango juice

--1/2 c. granulated sugar

--1 tsp. vanilla

Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Spread over the top of the cake.  Now, it's time to make the mango-cardamom dipping sauce!

Mango-Cardamom dipping sauce:

--1 c. mango juice

--1/4 c. granulated sugar

--1-2 tsp. ground cardamom (you can use more or less, depending on how "spicy" you'd like your syrup to be)

In a small saucepan, heat mango juice and sugar over medium heat, stirring regularly, for approx 7-8 minutes or until the juice has thickened into a syrup.  While it's still warm, whisk in the ground cardamom.  Allow the sauce to cool--it will thicken a bit more.  Serve liberally with a large slice of cake!