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Home , Manti (food), Rolling pin

ARMENIAN MANTI

~ serves 4 to 6 ~

DOUGH DIRECTIONS: • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed • Fill a large mixing bowl with the flour and make a well in the • 2 large eggs center. Beat together the eggs, salt, water, and olive oil. Add the • 1 teaspoon kosher salt wet ingredients to the well. Slowly incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients until a ball of is formed. The dough will be • ¾ cup water somewhat sticky, so add a bit of flour as needed and gently knead • 1 tablespoon olive oil the dough until smooth, like you would a pasta, not a bread. Cover the dough with a tea towel or wrap and set aside for FILLING at least 30 minutes. • ½ pound ground lamb • Preheat the to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (13” x 9”) baking pans • ½ pound ground beef with butter and set aside. • 1 small , minced very finely (about ¹⁄ cup) • Mix together the meat, onion, , mint, , allspice, and ³ until well incorporated. Refrigerate until needed. • ¹⁄ cup finely chopped parsley ³ • Using a pasta roller or rolling pin, in batches, roll out the dough • 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint (or more if you want) until very thin, dusting the dough with flour as needed. Cut each • 2 teaspoons kosher salt strip of dough into 1 ¼ inch squares. Place a marble-sized pinch of • ½ teaspoon ground meat filling into the center of each square, and pinch two • a couple shakes of white pepper opposite sides with your fingers to form a canoe-shaped • 1 teaspoon paprika . Make sure they are pinched securely or they will pop open in the oven. • 3 minced garlic cloves • Repeat with the remaining dough and meat filling. Arrange the • ½ teaspoon allspice manti close together in the buttered pans. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. • Butter for greasing pans • Put the chicken broth in a saucepan and season with salt, pepper, • 1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth and summer savory. Bring to a simmer. • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • When the manti are golden brown, put them into a new saucepan • Optional dried summer savory and ladle some broth mixture over them until covered. Simmer for a few minutes until soft. • Strained plain • OR: remove the pans from the oven, and ladle some broth over • , for serving as garnish the manti. The broth should fill the pan about ¾ of the way up the manti. Reserve the rest of the broth. Return the pans to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes longer or until most of the broth is absorbed into the manti, and about ¼ inch of broth remains on the bottom. They will have a firmer than al dente texture with a slight crunch at the ends, but you can bake them longer or use the saucepan method if you want a slightly softer texture. • Remove the pans from the oven and serve manti in individual wide bowls, ladling some more of the hot broth over it. Top with yogurt and sumac. You can also sprinkle some chopped parsley for a pretty garnish. (EETCH)

~ serves 4 ~

INGREDIENTS • 1 - 1 ½ cups bulgur (I like coarse grind #2 for pilaf, but pick your favorite) • 1 tablespoon butter (sub for oil if vegan) • Hot water for wetting bulgur (same amount as blugur) • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped • 5-6 tablespoons (or 2 oz) crushed or pureed , or unseasoned tomato sauce • ½ teaspoon ground • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon paprika • ½ teaspoon (or any ground spicy pepper) • 2 tablespoons dry mint or fresh mint, chopped, to taste • Salt to taste • 1 lemon, you’ll need all the zest and juice of half the lemon (more to taste) • 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped • ½ cup fresh green , chopped • ½ cup fresh red or green mild pepper (like bell) or roasted red pepper, chopped into small chunks • Optional: 1 can garbanzo

DIRECTIONS: • In a large skillet, heat the butter (or oil) and toast the bulgar until it browns a little and has a nutty smell. Do not burn, watch it carefully. Remove, add hot water to it, and set aside. • In the same skillet, heat oil, add chopped onions, and saute until golden color. • Add the pureed tomato, mix, and cook for 1-2 minutes. • Drain the bulgur and add to cooked onions and tomato sauce. • Add dry mint, cumin, black pepper, other spice peppers, and salt. • Mix and cook over medium heat for another 1-2 minutes. • Heat garbanzos, add some spices to them if you would like (I often toss on a little of the same spices plus allspice and sometimes fenugreek). When heated, mix in with the rest of the dish. • Remove from the heat and allow to cool in fridge or freezer (if desired, some people like it hot) while you chop the fresh greens. • Add lemon juice, the zest, parsley, green onion, fresh mint, and fresh mild pepper. • Serve warm or cold! YAPRAKH ()

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES TRADITIONAL MEAT FILLING • Blanch grape leaves - place in a bowl and cover them with boiling • 2 lbs coarse ground sirloin or coarse ground round (I use stir fry water. Let sit for 3-5 min. meat from PFC) • Or, if you are getting your grape leaves out of a jar, rinse them • 2 cups rice (I use basmati) and shake out excess liquid. • 14 oz can tomatoes or 1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes • Cut a slice from top and base of each onion. Slice the onion • 7 oz can/jar tomato paste lengthwise just to its center. Steam in a small amount of water • 1 onion, chopped until layers are soft and separate easily. (5-15 min, depending on • 2 tablespoons salt size) • 1 tablespoon pepper • Core , then steam in a small amount of water until the leaves separate easily. Pull leaves apart to ready for stuffing. (If you have a pot big enough, you can steam the cabbage and VEGETARIAN/VEGAN FILLING onions together.) • 2 cups rice • Hollow out peppers, squash, , and tomatoes • 15 oz can or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas • 14 oz can tomatoes or 1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes Mix filling ingredients and roll in any vegetables you’d like. • 7 oz can/jar tomato paste • 1 onion, chopped Assemble in 8 qt pot. If you don’t know how to do that, go ask your mom. Just kidding. I’ll tell you how. If you use cabbage, use some of • 2-3 , chopped the pieces that are too small to roll, or that broke when peeling off • 1 head garlic, chopped or minced (more or less to taste) the first layers to cover the bottom of the pan. That way, if you acci- dentally cook it too long, and it burns a bit at the bottom, you won’t OPTIONAL FILLING ADD-INS lose any of your precious grape leaves. And if you don’t cook it too • 1 ½ teaspoons (allspice) - cloves, nutmeg, , long, you’ll get to eat some lemony butter cabbage. You can also use rosebud powder, and black pepper pieces of onion that are too small or too fragile to be filled. • ½ - 1 bunch chopped fresh parsley (Hether always adds parsley if she has it around) Stuff grape leaves by laying each leaf, shiny side down, veins facing • 1 tablespoon dry mint (the fresh stuff turns black) up, on the table or plate. Place a tablespoon of filling at the bottom • 1 head garlic, chopped or minced (more or less to taste) center of the leaf by the stem. Fold bottom of leaf up to cover the stuffing. Fold in the sides and fold up in cylinder fashion, firmly but • 2 jalapenos, chopped not too tight, as to allow rice in filling to expand during cooking. • 1 can chopped green chilis (Judy always adds these) Likewise, rolling too loosely will cause grape leaves to fall apart • Any good bits of veggies you scooped out to be filled - peppers, during cooking. squash, eggplant, etc. • Any veggies that sound good to you - I’ve even used a frozen Layer a large (8 qt) pot with a layer of stuffed grape leaves, alternating /pea mix with layers of other vegetables. • (usually used in the vegetarian version) Once the pot is assembled, add 2 cups water, 1 ½ cups lemon juice SAUCE/COOKING LIQUID (or less if you don’t want it so sour) and half a stick of butter (or olive oil). Low boil for 20 minutes, then simmer for 30+ minutes until most • 2 cups water of the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove from heat. Let • 1 ½ cups lemon juice* (less or more to taste) stand 10 minutes. Place a large platter on top of the pot and, using • ¼ - ½ cup butter or olive oil oven mitts, flip dolma onto platter. Arrange, serve, and enjoy! *1 ½ tablespoons citric acid (lemon doozy crystals) can be substituted for the lemon juice. If you want to try more Chaldean recipes, you might like a copy of the Ma Baseema cookbook. VEGETABLES YOU CAN STUFF* • Grape leaves, onions, cabbage, peppers (sweet and spicy), http://calconline.org/ma-baseema-cookbook/ squash, eggplant, swiss chard, tomatoes (Romas/paste tomatoes tend to hold up best) *tip: stuff vegetables to allow for rise to expand while cooking. Ex: fill peppers and squash about ½ full SENIAT LAHMEH

INGREDIENTS • 2 lbs ground lamb • 4 bunches flat leaf parsley • 4 medium size yellow or white onions • 2 big ripe tomatoes • 10-12 small Roma tomatoes • 1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon of salt • ½ tablespoon black pepper • 1 teaspoon white pepper

DIRECTIONS: • Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F • Blend onions in food processor until finely chopped. • Add the 2 big tomatoes and blend until tomatoes are well blended. • Finely chop the parsley. • In a large bowl, mix the ground lamb with the onions, tomatoes, and parsley (reserve one cup for later). • Add the salt, black pepper, and white pepper. • Place the mixture in a baking pan and flatten it nicely. It should be about ½ inch thick. With a spatula, cut 1 inch lines vertically through the meat mixture. • Slice the Roma tomatoes in half circles (about 1/3 inch thick) and layer them on top of the meat mixture. The whole surface should be covered in tomatoes. • Bake it in preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until it looks like all the water from the veggies has evaporated. • Once removed from the oven, sprinkle remaining parsley on top. • Serve with bread, rice, salad, and/or vegetables of choice.

REDACTION • Note that the following is a shortcut taught to me by Naciye • 1 ½ lbs flour (approx. 4 cups) 50/50 bread/AP flour depending on Akgun, not a period technique to my knowledge. You can roll how strong the gluten is in the former multiple yufka simultaneously. Ensure there is sufficient wheat • 4 large eggs starch on the yufka and stack as many as 10 on top of each other. Using a larger rolling pin, roll as you would regular pastry until it • 1 tablespoon or melted kidney fat (or tail fat if you reaches the dimensions of a half sheet tray or larger (11” X 19”). can get it) • If doing the rolled-style baklava, brush the single sheet with • 1 cup water with 1 teaspoon salt (stirred to dissolve), possibly clarified butter, sprinkle with , and roll around an oklava. more depending on weather Mary Isin suggests that the author forgot to tell you to push the • Wheat starch (available at Asian grocery stores) yufka down the pin until scrunched and place on a baking tray. I • ½-1 cup clarified butter or melted kidney fat believe that this could have been deliberate, and you can simply roll the yufka into a tube as is described for lauzinaj and continue, SWEET BAKLAVA although the technique is very nice when you scrunch it because Filling Ingredients it can bend, and it cooks up flaky and is a little denser. Continue until you have filled the tray. If you have an electric stove and have • 3-4 cups of nuts (finely chopped almonds, , , used a round tray, put the element on low and place the pan on , or a combination) it. Pan fry for about 15-20 minutes and then, using a second pan, • 2 cups sugar place on top and turn over using hot pads. Continue to pan fry • 1 cup water until the second side is browned and cooked through (another • 1 cup honey 25 minutes or so). Pour cooled syrup over the baklava and allow • Or 3 cups sugar and 2 cups water to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let rest until cool or warm and serve by cutting pieces out of the pan. I have not found • Pinch saffron ground fine or 1 cinnamon stick or 3 lemon slices reference as to how it was cut in this style. Alternatively, I have • 1 teaspoon orange flower water or rose water, or to taste baked the tray in a 325 degree oven for about 45 minutes total. If • doing tray baklava and using the oven, lay anywhere from 4 to 11 SAVORY BAKLAVA (BOREK) layers, putting clarified butter and nuts in between. Add another Filling Ingredients 4 to 11 layers with clarified butter. Score the baklava into • 1lb of cheese, crumbled diamonds and then pour any remaining clarified butter over the • 10-12 oz of greens (chard, spinach) cleaned, dried, and chopped top. Bake in a moderate oven at 325 degrees F for about 35-40 minutes. Pour the syrup over top and place back in the oven for • ½ cup of minced fresh herbs (/zataar, mint, parsley) about 5-10 minutes until absorbed. Remove and finish cutting • 2-3 tablespoons of freshly ground and cumin through. • Black pepper to taste Cooking the Yufka • Kosher sea salt to taste • I have also practiced cooking the yufka like is done in videos. This • 2 large eggs results in an amazingly thin pastry that, if you even touch it, will crumble like "grasshoppers' wings." I created a baking surface DIRECTIONS: using first a wok over my burner, which worked but was a little • Sift flour onto a rolling board. In the center, make a well and add too convex, and the pastry curled up too much. I am working on a the eggs, butter, and about half of the water, mixing from the griddle using a sheet of metal that is already shaped into a convex middle out. Combine further, adding water as you go until you surface and will report on that after I practice the technique. have a soft, pliable dough. Knead for a few minutes, let rest 15. • Garnish sweet baklava with finely minced for color. Cut into 40-48 pieces. Roll in your hand to smooth into a ball and • For savory baklava, prepare yufka as above except in layers place set aside for at least another 15 minutes. Dust the rolling surface a mixture of salted cheese, herbs, and spices or and and the dough with wheat starch. Roll each piece out to spices such as cumin, coriander, or an atraf al’ tib mixture. approximately 6-8 inches in diameter. At this point, you can dust with starch and set aside to rest again. To do individual yufka, take 1 piece of dough and roll out using the oklava. Roll around the oklava, pressing gently from the center toward the edges while the dough is wrapped around the oklava. Dust if necessary, turn and roll again in the same manner and continue until approximately 11” X 19” or a similar diameter in the round. The pastry will be so thin that you will be able to partially see through it. TURSHI

Chaldean (Iraqui) Style Pickled Vegetables

INGREDIENTS PICKLED TURNIPS Vegetables • 3 cups (750ml) water • 7 cups mixed raw vegetables, chopped into bite-sized chunks • 1/3 cup (70g) coarse white salt such as kosher salt or sea salt • cabbage • 1 bay leaf • cauliflower • 1 cup (250ml) white distilled • carrots • 2 lbs (1kg) turnips, peeled • turnips • 1 small beet, or a few slices from a regular-size beet, peeled • green beans • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced • asparagus • celery • or other seasonal veggies of your choice 1. In a saucepan, heat about one-third of the water. Add the salt and bay leaf, stirring until the salt is dissolved. • 1 small jar/can baby corn (about 20 cobs) • 10 large green olives 2. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, add the vinegar and the rest of the water. • 1 whole jalapeno pepper 3. Cut the turnips and the beet into batons, about the size • 5 whole cloves of garlic of French fries. Put the turnips, beets, and garlic slices into a large, clean jar, then pour the salted brine over them in the jar, Layer vegetables into a glass half gallon jar, or two glass including the bay leaf. quart jars. 4. Cover and let sit at room temperature, in a relatively cool place, for one week. Once done, they can be refrigerated until Spices and Brine ready to serve. • ¼ cup salt Storage: The pickles will keep for several weeks in the refriger- • 1 tbsp sugar ator. They’ll be rather strong at first, but will mellow after a few • 2 teaspoons turmeric days. They should be enjoyed within six weeks after they’re • 2-3 teaspoons curry powder made, as they tend to get less interesting if they sit too long. • 1 teaspoon flakes • 2 cups white distilled or cider vinegar www.davidlebovitz.com/pickled-turnips-turnip-recipe/ • 3 cups cold water

Mix spices, vinegar, and water to make the brine. Pour the brine over the vegetables in the jars. Make sure there is enough liquid to completely cover vegetables. Tightly seal the lid on the jar. Leave out at room temperature for 3-4 days, shaking the jar periodically to mix the spices. On the fourth day, store in the refrigerator. VEGAN CHEESE

Vegan Nacho Cheese and Queso Tofu Feta INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS • 1cup carrots, diced large • 12 ounce block extra firm tofu, small cubes • ½ cup water • ¼ cup olive oil ⁄ cup olive oil • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted • ¹ ³ • 2 teaspoons salt • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh is best) • 1 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar • ½ cup nutrition yeast flakes • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon onion powder Optional • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • ¼ teaspoon onion powder • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder **Optional: Herbed Feta • Dash of cayenne • 1 teaspoon dried oregano **For queso, add 1 cup chunky salsa • 1 teaspoon dried basil • 1 teaspoon dried parsley INSTRUCTIONS • Boil the potatoes and carrots until soft. INSTRUCTIONS • Blend potatoes and carrots together along with the rest of the ingredients on high in a blender until the cheese is extremely • Combine all ingredients, except tofu, and mix until smooth. evenly combined. • Place tofu in container and cover with marinade. ** For queso, add 1 cup chunky salsa and stir until well • Marinade in refrigerator overnight. distributed *** All ingredients may be blended in a blender to create a feta Store in refrigerator up to one week. spread.

Uses: nachos, pizza topping, macaroni and cheese, loaded baked . Tofu Ricotta Cheese INGREDIENTS • 2 medium lemons, juiced • 12 ounce block extra firm tofu, drained • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast • ½ cup fresh basil • 1 tablespoon dried oregano • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper INSTRUCTIONS • Combine all ingredients in large bowl. • Stir until fully blended. Uses: lasagna, cracker topping, pasta filling, pizza topping PERSIAN BARBARI BREAD

DOUGH TOPPING • 1 2�3 to 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water • 1 teaspoon seeds • 2 teaspoons instant yeast • 1 teaspoon nigella (black onion) seeds* • 4 cups + 3 tablespoons bread flour *Substitute poppy seeds or the seeds of your choice if you can't find nigella seeds • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 ½ teaspoons table salt GLAZE • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour • ½ teaspoon sugar • ½ teaspoon vegetable oil • 1�3 cup cool water

INSTRUCTIONS • Working with one piece at a time, gently deflate the dough and pat/flatten it into a 14" x 5" rectangle. Use your fingers • To make the dough: mix the water, yeast, flour, and salt until (or the handle of a long wooden spoon) to press five well combined. Knead the mixture using your hands, a stand lengthwise grooves into the dough. Press firmly, but don't mixer, or your bread machine set on the dough cycle until cut through the bottom of the dough. you've made a smooth, fairly soft dough. • Spread half the glaze onto the dough, rubbing it all over. • Put the dough in a lightly greased large bowl, cover the bowl, Sprinkle with half the seeds. and let the dough rise until it's nearly doubled in size, about 1 • Slide the bread onto the stone and bake it for 15 to 18 hour. minutes, until it's golden brown. If you're not using a stone, • Gently deflate the dough and divide it into two pieces. Shape place the bread on a baking sheet and bake it on your oven's each piece into a rough log about 9" long. Cover the logs middle rack. Remove the bread and cool it on a rack. with greased plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 minutes. • While the first loaf is baking, prepare the second loaf. Bake as • While the dough is resting, prepare the glaze. Combine the directed. flour, sugar, oil, and water in a small saucepan, bring to a bare • Serve warm, or at room temperature; traditional boil, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the accompaniments are olives, , and feta cheese. mixture thickens and coats the spoon; this should take less • Store leftovers, well wrapped, for several days at room than a minute. Remove the glaze from the heat and set it temperature; freeze for longer storage. aside. • Preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, set it on the lowest rack or oven floor.