FRUIT & NUT CHOCOLATE COOKIES WITH SESAME SEEDS (cukulota ve susam biskuvi,kuki ))

Yesterday it was snowing outside and I thought what better than to put the kettle on,  for a nice cup of coffee  and make some cookies while watching the snow falling. I was in a creative mood and  created this recipe. It took couple of attempts  to get the recipe right but the result was very good and the cookies were lovely. Makes 30- 32 cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 egg and plus 1 egg white, beaten
• 2  full cups of self raising wholemeal flour ( 250 g )
• pinch of salt
• 1 level tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 100 g fruit and nut chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 yolk of an egg for glazing
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds for sprinkling.

METHOD

Preheat the oven and grease the baking tray. Place chocolate in a plastic bag and break them with the rolling pin until you have small pieces. Set aside. Separate one of the eggs to use the yolk for glazing and white for the dough mixture.

1) In a large  mixing bowl, cream the butter, olive oil and sugar until light and fluffy. I used electric hand blender. 

2) Add the beaten egg and egg white gradually. Sieve the flour, cinnamon and salt together. Mix the sesame seeds and chocolate pieces with the flour. Then add flour and nut mixture into the  creamed mixture, mix well with a wooden spoon. Add milk and mix thoroughly.

3) Divide the dough in to 30 walnut size pieces and shape them with floured hands,  into rounds. 

4) Place them into the baking tray and press them gently to make 5 cm round cookies. Brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

5) Bake in preheated oven 190 C, 170 Fan setting for 12- 15 minutes. Cool them on wire rack before serving.

ZEYTINYAGLI YAPRAK SARMASI ( stuffed vine leaves with aromatic rice )

Vine leaves are used in many dishes in Turkey but most popular ones are filled with minced meat ( etli yaprak sarmasi) and vegetarian sarma which is  made with aromatic rice and olive oil ( zeytinyagli yaprak sarmasi). Stufffed vine leaves served  warm or cold.  I will be posting etli  yaprak sarma in coming weeks.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar of 400 g of preserved vine leaves in brine
• 2 large onions, chopped finely
• 1 cup long grain rice, washed
• 1 bunch of dill, chopped
• 1 bunch of parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs currants, diced
• 1 tbsp pine nuts or chopped mix nuts
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

To add to the pan just before cooking

• juice of half a lemon
• extra, olive oil for drizzling
• 5-6 medium potatoes
• hot water 

METHOD

1) First wash vine leaves under cold running water, let in drain in colander. Layer the base of the pan with 2-3 vine leaves. ( This will prevent the stuffed vine leaves sticking to the pan)

2) Prepare the filling: Wash the rice and place in a bowl. Add diced onion, parsley, dill, currants, nuts, salt, cinnamon, black pepper and 3tbsp of olive oil to the rice. Mix well to coat the rice with herbs and spices. 

3) Lay one of the vine leaves on a flat  surface and spoon 1-2 tsp ( depending on the size of the leaf )of the rice mixture along the stalk end of the leaf and fold once. Then tuck in the sides of the leaf and roll it up tightly to make a cylindrical parcel.

Repeat this  with the reaming leaves and rice filling.

4) Arrange the stuffed vine leaves, seam side down in the prepared  pan, as you roll them. Pack them tightly together in circles. Making 2-3 layers, depending on your pan size.

5) Squeeze the lemon juice over the sarmas and drizzle over with olive oil. Add enough hot water to cover the stuffed vine leaves . Peel 5-6 medium potatoes and arrange them on top of the stuffed vine leaves. Cover the pan with the lid and bring it to boil. Then lower the heat and steam the sarmas gently  for 45-50 minutes. until the rice is cooked.  Let it stand for 20 - 30 minutes before serving

NOTE: Potatoes are used  as a weight to prevent sarmas from unravelling, also potatoes draw excess salt from the vine leaves. I use the cooked potatoes in soups or use it to make potato salad.