For the Curry Paste:

• In a mortar and pestle, pound the soaked chilies with salt, galangal, and lemongrass until smooth.
• Add the shallots, garlic, kaffir lime zest, coriander root, peppercorns, and shrimp paste. Continue pounding until well combined.
• Add the roasted peanuts and pound into a smooth, thick paste.
• Store in the fridge until ready to use.

For the Beef:

• Clean and thinly slice the beef. Set aside to drain.
• In a pan over medium heat, sauté 1 tbsp of the Panang curry paste for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the beef slices and stir-fry until just cooked.
• Pour in coconut milk and stir to combine.
• Season with palm sugar and soy sauce. Simmer briefly and adjust seasoning to taste.
• Turn off the heat and plate the curry. Garnish with shredded kaffir lime leaves and sliced red chili.
  
• Serve hot with steamed jasmine rice.

• Cook the rice until tender, then let it cool.
• Heat some vegetable oil in a pan. Sauté the chopped onions until translucent, then add the grated carrots. Cook until softened.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for 1–2 more minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, and ⅔ of the sautéed vegetables. Optionally, add chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, and herbs.

  Season with salt, pepper, and your favorite spices. Mix well.
• Wash the bell peppers, slice off the tops, and remove seeds and membranes. Stuff each pepper with the meat mixture.
• Lightly oil a heavy-bottomed pot and arrange the stuffed peppers upright.
• For the sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with 4 tablespoons of sour cream and the cooled water. Add salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the peppers. Add the remaining sautéed vegetables on top.

  Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for 1.5-2 hours. The peppers should become soft and the filling fully cooked.
• Serve the stuffed peppers with sour cream.

Prepare the pizza base:

• Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F (top and bottom heat) and place a baking sheet upside down in the oven to heat.
• Divide the pizza dough into two equal parts. On a floured surface, roll out each portion into a round (approx. 15 cm / 6 inches wide). Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
• Carefully flour the hot baking sheet, place the dough rounds on it, and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.

Make the meatballs:

• In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except the sunflower oil. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.
• Shape into small meatballs and fry in sunflower oil over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
• Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Cook the sauce:

• Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
• (Optional) Deglaze with white wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
• Add water and honey, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

Assemble and Serve

• Place the baked pizza bases on serving plates.
• Spread the warm tomato sauce over each base.
• Top with the meatballs and scatter the Graviera cheese pieces over the top.
• Melt the cheese using a kitchen blowtorch or place under a broiler for 1–2 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
• Serve immediately while hot.

For the ground beef:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F, at convection mode.
• Heat a pot over high heat. Add some olive oil, the minced meat, and cook for 3-4 minutes until until browned
• Add the onion, garlic, and carrot, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables caramelize.
• Next, add the tomato paste, cinnamon, cloves, stir with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the bay leaves, chopped tomatoes, broth, salt, and pepper, stir, and simmer for 30 minutes until the until the sauce thickens and flavors develop.

For the béchamel:

• Place a pot over medium heat, add the butter, and let it melt. Add the flour and stir with a whisk. Pour in the milk and stir for 5 minutes until the béchamel thickens.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add 100 g/ ~1 cup of each cheese. Adjust the taste with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg (optionally), and stir until the cheeses melt and the sauce is smooth.

For the assembly:

• In a rectangular baking dish, spread 3 tbsp of minced meat. Place 3 lasagna sheets vertically, spread 3 tbsp of minced meat on top, then add 3 tbsp of béchamel.
• Repeat the process to create 5 layers of lasagna. Finish by spreading the remaining minced meat, béchamel, and cheese on top.
• Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 25-30 minutes.
• Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes, then cut into pieces, and serve.

For the meatballs:

• In a bowl, combine the onion, carrot, ground beef, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands or gloves, mix until well combined. Form small balls and set them aside.
• Heat a pan with olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

For the sweet & sour sauce:

• In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, and carrot, and sauté for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
• Add the sugar, stir briefly, then pour in the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, water, salt, and pepper. Let the vegetables caramelize (takes about 5 minutes).
• Once the sauce is ready, add the meatballs to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Serve warm, accompanied by basmati rice or crusty bread.

Preparing the Dough:

• In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl), add the flour and make a well in the center.
• Pour in the yeast, sugar, and lukewarm water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy, activating the yeast.
• Start mixing on low speed (or knead by hand), gradually incorporating the flour. Once combined, add the salt and continue mixing.
• Knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (about 8-10 minutes).
• Drizzle in olive oil, kneading for another minute to incorporate.
• Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Preparing the Meat Mixture:

• In a food processor, add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, crushed tomatoes, parsley, pomegranate syrup, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Pulse until finely chopped and well combined.
• Add the ground meat and pulse a few more times until the mixture is evenly blended. (Do not overmix; the texture should be paste-like but not overly smooth.)
• If the mixture appears too wet, transfer it to a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and let it drain for 30 minutes.

Assembling & Baking the Lahmacun:

• Preheat the oven to 230°C (445°F). Lightly grease baking trays or line them with parchment paper.
• Divide the risen dough into 12 equal portions or smaller golf ball-sized pieces for mini lahmacuns.
• Lightly flour your work surface and use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball into a thin round or oval shape (thinner than pizza dough).
• Spread a thin, even layer of the meat mixture onto each dough round, covering it right to the edges.
• Arrange the lahmacuns on the prepared baking trays and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the bread is still soft enough to fold.

Serving:

• Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with extra pomegranate syrup and fresh lemon juice.
• Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts for added crunch.
• Serve warm with a side of fresh herbs, yogurt, or a crisp salad. Enjoy!

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
• Prepare the potatoes: Wash and peel them. Using an apple corer or melon baller, hollow out the potatoes, leaving a thin shell and cutting a small base so they can stand upright.
• Season the potatoes: Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the filling.

The filling

• In a small pan, sauté the chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until softened. Let it cool.
• In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, grated garlic (2 cloves), 2 tablespoons of passata, chopped parsley, rice, salt, and pepper. Add the cooled sautéed onions and mix well by hand until thoroughly combined.
• Stuff the potatoes: Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly. Fill them three-quarters full with the meat mixture to allow room for the rice to expand while cooking.

Assemble the dish

• Grease a baking dish with softened butter.
• Arrange the stuffed potatoes upright in the dish and scatter the remaining whole garlic cloves between them.

Prepare the sauce

• In a jug, combine the remaining passata, dried mint, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir well.
• Pour the sauce over the stuffed potatoes.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened.
• Serve hot straight out of the oven with a simple arugula salad (dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice).

Notes:

• Be careful not to overfill the potatoes, as the rice will expand while cooking.
• For a richer flavor, substitute part of the passata with beef or chicken stock.
• You can also use lamb instead of beef for a more traditional Middle Eastern taste.

For the Apple Relish:

• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the apple relish, mix well, and set aside.

For the Osso Buco:

• In a separate bowl, season the veal shanks with salt, pepper, and olive oil, ensuring the meat is evenly coated.
• Heat a deep pot over medium heat, then sear the meat until browned. Remove and place back in the bowl (add more olive oil if necessary).
• In the same pot, without cleaning it, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables soften.
• Return the meat to the pot, deglaze with red wine, and once the alcohol evaporates, add the remaining ingredients. Let it simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours.
• For more tips on deglazing, be sure to check out our guide.
• Serve the osso buco warm, accompanied by the apple relish.

• Place all the meatballs ingredients in a bowl and combine them by hand. Cover the bowl with transparent film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Shape the minced meat into balls about 60 gr each and place them on a large plate.
• Heat a frying pan over medium to high heat, pour in the olive oil, and cook the soutzoukakia meatballs until golden all over. Once ready, transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste with cumin and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, spices, water, salt, and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the soutzoukakia meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until they are well-cooked, and the sauce thickens.
• Serve hot, accompanied by rice.

• Preheat the oven to 200° C/390° F with convection setting.

For the eggplants:

• Wash the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Use a knife to carve their flesh crosswise, creating diamond shapes.
• Line an oven tray with non-stick paper. Place the eggplants, sprinkle with thyme, olive oil, and add the mushroom cube. Bake for 30 minutes until soft, then set aside.

For the minced meat:

• Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil and sauté the minced meat in batches for about 5 minutes, allowing it to caramelize without constant stirring.
• Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, and cloves and continue sautéing until the mince is browned.
• Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes. Deglaze with red wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
• Add the bay leaves, the crushed tomatoes and the beef broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes.

For the béchamel:

• Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter. Once melted, gradually add the flour and milk, stirring constantly with a hand whisk to prevent lumps forming.
• When the béchamel sets, remove the pan from the heat. Add the nutmeg, egg yolks, Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the mixture is uniform.
• Add 2-3 tbsp. of the béchamel to the minced meat and mix. Spread the mince evenly over the eggplants. If desired, you can add the flesh from the eggplants to the mince. Cover with a spoonful of béchamel and sprinkle with Gruyère.
• Bake for 10 minutes until the béchamel is golden and granulated, then serve.

Prepare the Filling:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Then, add the diced green bell peppers and continue to sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and minced garlic and cook until the meat browns all over evenly and the moisture evaporates.
• Stir in the tomato paste, pepper paste, salt, and black pepper. Add the diced tomatoes, then reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes.

Prepare the Eggplants:

• Peel the eggplants, leaving alternating strips of skin, giving them a striped appearance, and leaving the stem intact.
• Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and fry the eggplants until they're lightly browned on all sides. Place them in an ovenproof dish.

Assemble the Karniyarik:

• Make a lengthwise slit in the middle of each eggplant, being careful not to cut through the bottom, to create a pocket.
• Stuff the eggplants generously with the ground beef filling.
• Place a tomato and green chili pepper slices on top of each stuffed eggplant.

Bake the Karniyarik:

• Bake the stuffed eggplants in a preheated oven at 175°C (340°F) for 25-30 minutes.
• Serve the hot Karniyarik with optional Turkish rice pilaf or Turkish cacik on the side.

Prepare the Filling:

• Combine the ground beef, rice, onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, sunflower oil, red pepper flakes, dried mint, black pepper, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Prepare the Dolma:

• Trim the woody stems from the grape leaves, ensuring the leaves remain intact. Place shiny side down on a clean surface.
• Place about one or half a tablespoon of the prepared filling in the center of each grape leaf, adjusting the amount based on leaf size.
• Fold the stem side over the filling, then fold the right and left edges over the stem side, and roll it up slightly firm. Repeat until all leaves are filled.
• Place the stuffed grape leaves in layers neatly and tightly in a large pot.
• Place extra open leaves over the dolma to cover them.
• In a small bowl, mix the tomato paste with 2-3 cups of water. Pour this mixture over the dolma until they are completely covered.
• Place a small heatproof plate on top of the dolmas to prevent movement during cooking. Cover the pot with a lid.
• Cook on medium heat until the water comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 1 hour or until most of the water is absorbed. Allow the dolmas to rest for 10-15 minutes after cooking.
  
• Serve warm or at room temperature, accompanied by plain yogurt.