Turkish Gozleme

I'm starting to appreciate other cuisines. Growing up in Singapore, I had the luxury to try Indian, Chinese (mostly!), Japanese.. but never as extensive as growing up in Perth. Lebanese? checked. Indonesian? Checked. Thai? Checked. Fusion al carte Australian? checked.

It's weird. Seriously. I'm taking cooking Chinese tips from an Australian cookbook (I swear, granny, you are still the first I go to!). Or like in this case, Turkish Gozleme from the AUSTRALIAN Women's Weekly!

I loved it regardless. It means there are no boundaries in creating cuisine. Flipping through a few "Australian" cookbooks, it made me realised how much food bring different cultures together. Perhaps by printing a different culture recipe from a known writer, it gives me the guts to try something new. It means it can be done.

I had a go at making Turkish Gozleme at home one weekend, and boy oh boy, never did pounding dough feels so good. Is there such a therapy call Dough Therapy? Maybe that is how Turkish ladies get their tough arms from.  Perhaps that also explains why I never got a gozleme from an angry lady.

So I served this to my husband. And watch him smile.

Turkish Gozleme (Adapted from Australian Women's Weekly Eating Together)
4 cups of plain flour
1 tsp cooking salt-I used my sea salt
1 2/3 cups of warm water
2 tablespoons oil. I used olive

Lamb filling
3-4 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
pepper
1 tsp garlic minced
500 grams lamb mince
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped parsley

Spinach and Cheese Filling
300 grams baby spinach
1 small red onion chopped
1 tsp mixed spice
150 grams feta cheese
1 cup of cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Make Dough
Combine flour, salt and gradually stir in water. Sprinkle flour on work surface. Don't forget to flour your hands. Knead dough. Hit it, punch it, just keep working on it till it is smooth. Return to bowl. Cover.

Make lamb filling
Cook garlic. Fry lamb till done. Add tomatoes and spices. Simmer. Cool.

Make spinach and feta filling
Combine all ingredients. I blanched the spinach first quickly and squeezed some water out.

Diver dough into 2 pieces. Flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll each piece into a square. Roll as thin as you can. Sprinkle spinach and cheese filling first, then topped it with lamb filling. Fold each edge over.

Using a well oiled grill pan, cook gozleme on each side till browned slightly. Serve with lemon/lime wedges.