The Exotic Flavours of the Turkish Table
When – 20 January 2024 from 9:30am.
Where – Wickedfood Earth Country Cooking School, Hekpoort, Gauteng.
Cost – R990pp including the hands-on workshop and Lunch.
To book – cilla@wickedfood.co.za or 076 236-2345
Hands-on cooking workshop
The Mediterranean is the cradle of Old World civilization as we know it. Its waters wash the shores of 3 continents – Europe, Asia and Africa – and the waters are traversed by traders from all three continents. Although the peoples may have religious and ethnic differences, they have a lot in common – climate, geographic environs and a constant cultural interchange. The best qualities of the cuisine are its boldness of taste, its purity of ingredients and simplicity of preparation. At its height, the Ottoman Empire reached from the walls of Vienna to the borders of China. The cuisine has a real fusion of Asian and European influences. Turkish cuisine still ranks amongst the foremost in the Mediterranean, with its varieties of textures, tastes and diversity of ingredients. We capture a little of this magic in this workshop:
Circasian chicken – with a lush nut sauce, it is regarded as one of the pinnacles of the Turkish table. It was brought to Turkey by slaves from Georgia, and is usually served as a mezze;
Smoked aubergine – Turks claim to have a hundred ways of preparing aubergines. For them, it is the king and queen of vegetables. in this dish, yoghurt, mixed with garlic, softens the flavours and adds to the creamy texture of this refreshing purée;
Cheese pastries – dainty little rolls or ‘cigars’ of phyllo pastry with savoury and sweet fillings, are the hallmark of the Mediterranean;
Baby marrow fritters – onions, feta cheese and herbs lift what is otherwise a bland vegetable. These little fritters are delicious on their own, or can be served with the spicy yoghurt sauce;
Beetroot salad – with yoghurt, delicious with flat breads;
Grilled meat kebabs – kebabs, originating from Persia have become a staple of Turkish cuisine. These grilled kebabs, are traditionally served on pide, with paprika butter, and a tomato and a yoghurt garlic sauce;
Pide – a Turkish version of Pita, soft flat bread discs, perfect for mopping up sauces;
Kadayif – a shredded pastry in the same vein as Baklava, with a dried fruit and nut filling, and soaked in a thick syrup. We serve it with a fruit ice-cream.
To book – cilla@wickedfood.co.za or 076 236-2345