cook this: 3 recipes from istanbul, including one of turkey's favourite breakfasts
8 minute read
clockwise from top left: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions (menemen), author Özlem warren, sautéed chili peppers with garlicky yogurt (atom) and cheat's manti. photos by sam a harris
our cookbook of the week is istanbul by özlem warren.
jump to the recipes: scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions (menemen), cheat’s manti and sautéed chili peppers with garlicky yogurt (atom).
Özlem warren brings a local’s eye to one of the world’s great food cities in istanbul (quadrille, 2026). “it was always in my heart to do it justice and bring a perspective of somebody from the land, somebody who actually lived in the land, and, in a way, really honour and celebrate the diversity of the food culture there,” the gourmand award-winning author and cooking teacher says of her third cookbook.
now living in england, warren was born and raised in turkey and lived in istanbul for more than 15 years. “it’s an incredible city, and i think it deserves to be on the world map, to be celebrated, to be known better,” she adds.
superficially, outsiders may associate kebabs or döner with the food of the city. in the book, warren brings light to its depth. she recalls a conversation with author caroline eden, who writes about turkey, the baltics, the caucasus and central asia. eden referred to istanbul as “the world’s kitchen,” which warren wholeheartedly agrees with.
“it’s the ‘queen of cities,’ of course, but the rich variety of food on offer, that blend, is what makes it so unique. the fact that you could have such a wide variety of stuff all in one location, within the same neighbourhood at times,” says warren. “you’ve got to go and really dig deep and go a little bit down the back streets to really appreciate and enjoy it.”
take the galata district, which is home to bakeries that warren says she could spend all day in. “that feeds my soul.” the immense variety of börek, pide and other wonderful savoury and sweet breads and pastries is an integral part of istanbul’s food mosaic.
istanbul is Özlem warren’s third cookbook celebrating her native turkish cuisine.
quadrille
for warren, researching and writing the book brought back happy memories of her childhood and high school years in levent in istanbul’s beşiktaş district, the city’s pazar (farmers’ markets) and family gatherings. it also made her see istanbul with fresh eyes. the bosphorus has long been the city’s lifeline, and the ottomans, nomadic turkish tribes and venetians all walked the same ground she does today.
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“just imagine all those bostan (historic market gardens) and the fruit markets everywhere, and the tulips. and it’s really reinforced and brought so many memories, as well as much admiration and just how privileged we are, really, to be in this land, to look after it. what an honour to at least be able to highlight as much as i could.”
istanbul’s love of fruit and vegetables is reflected in the book’s recipes: 56 of the 82 are vegetarian. the pazar, the “beating heart” of their neighbourhoods, are among warren’s favourite places to visit in the city. she dedicates chapters to the farmers’ markets and some of istanbul’s other food places, including the fırın (bakery) and esnaf lokantası (tradesman restaurants).
“depending on where you eat in istanbul, you will be offered a variety of different foods. it could be manti (dumpling) nodding to the central asian, turkish nomadic roots, or it could be some lovely meze in a taverna, or meyhane, which would highlight a lot of multicultural, multi-religious communities,” says warren.
then there’s street food, ranging from simit and açma (a fluffy soft bun) to gözleme and lokma (fried dough balls drenched in syrup). “there is so much variety, and i suppose it’s the blending of these different traditions that makes istanbul food so exciting, so interesting.”
scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions
this dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, peppers and onions (menemen) is probably turkey’s most popular egg-based breakfast, says Özlem warren.
sam a harris
soğanlı menemen
serves: 2
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
85 g (3 oz) sivri biber (green pointy peppers) or padron peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) ripe, medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium eggs
handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
pinch pul biber, to serve (see note)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
27 g (1 oz) beyaz peynir or feta, drained and crumbled (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
85 g (3 oz) sivri biber (green pointy peppers) or padron peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) ripe, medium tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium eggs
handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
pinch pul biber, to serve (see note)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
27 g (1 oz) beyaz peynir or feta, drained and crumbled (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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step 1
pour the olive oil into a wide non-stick pan and place over a medium-high heat. stir in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. add the peppers and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring often; they will soften and start to char around the edges. stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes, continuing to stir often, until the tomatoes are beginning to turn jammy, and the sauce has thickened.
step 2
reduce the heat to medium. crack the eggs into the pan and swirl them into the sauce. cook for about 2 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks are still a little runny. try not to overcook the dish — you want to retain some sauce in which to dip your bread. taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. sprinkle over the parsley, some pul biber and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
step 3
serve immediately, with flatbreads or tırnaklı pide ekmek (finger-dented flatbreads) on the side. you can also crumble some beyaz peynir or feta over the top, if you wish.
note: find pul biber, also known as aleppo pepper, at turkish and middle eastern grocers, some supermarkets and online.
cheat’s manti
in istanbul, Özlem warren includes a traditional recipe for manti (dumplings), as well as this “cheat’s” version using shell-shaped conchiglie pasta.
sam a harris
yoğurtlu, kıymalı makarna
serves: 4-5
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
2 sivri biber or 1 medium green (bell) pepper, deseeded and finely diced
450 g (1 lb) ground beef or lamb
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
200 g (7 oz) can chopped tomatoes
200 ml (7 fl oz) water
1 tsp ground cumin
small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) dried conchiglie or pasta of your choice (use gluten-free, if preferred)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, finely diced
2 sivri biber or 1 medium green (bell) pepper, deseeded and finely diced
450 g (1 lb) ground beef or lamb
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
200 g (7 oz) can chopped tomatoes
200 ml (7 fl oz) water
1 tsp ground cumin
small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) dried conchiglie or pasta of your choice (use gluten-free, if preferred)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the garlic yogurt:
400 g (14 oz) full fat turkish or greek yogurt
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped
400 g (14 oz) full fat turkish or greek yogurt
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed with salt and finely chopped
for the spiced oil:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pul biber
2 tsp dried mint
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pul biber
2 tsp dried mint
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step 1
about 40 minutes before you plan to serve, take the yogurt out of the refrigerator and place in a bowl. stir the garlic into the yogurt, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. cover and set aside to bring to room temperature.
step 2
pour the 3 tablespoons olive oil into a wide heavy pan and place over a medium-high heat. stir in the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, then stir in the carrots and peppers and sauté for a further 2-3 minutes. add the minced meat and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until the meat is browned, stirring continuously.
step 3
add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and water, swirling a little of the water in the can to get any remaining bits of tomato. season with cumin, salt and black pepper, stir to combine and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. the sauce will have thickened; check the seasoning and add more salt or black pepper, if needed. stir in the parsley and turn off the heat.
step 4
about 10 minutes before the meat sauce will have finished cooking, bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions. drain the pasta then return it to the pan and drizzle over a little olive oil, so the pasta doesn’t stick.
step 5
pour the 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a pan, place over a low-medium heat, stir in the pul biber and dried mint and gently infuse for 35-40 seconds.
step 6
distribute the pasta amongst your serving bowls. ladle over 3-4 serving spoonfuls of the meat sauce then scatter over dollops of garlic yogurt. drizzle over some spiced olive oil and serve immediately.
sautÉed chili peppers with garlicky yogurt
you might come across this “fiery but delicious meze” — atom (sautéed chili peppers with garlicky yogurt) — in istanbul’s kebab houses.
sam a harris
atom
serves: 4
280 g (10 oz) süzme (strained) yogurt (see note)
1 medium garlic clove
15 g (1/2 oz) dried red chilies
2 tbsp olive oil
15 g (1 tbsp) salted butter
1/2 tsp pul biber (optional)
sea salt, to taste
flatbreads, to serve
1 medium garlic clove
15 g (1/2 oz) dried red chilies
2 tbsp olive oil
15 g (1 tbsp) salted butter
1/2 tsp pul biber (optional)
sea salt, to taste
flatbreads, to serve
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step 1
take the strained yogurt out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using, to bring it to room temperature. place the chilies in a small bowl, cover with hot water, then with plastic wrap and allow the chilies to rehydrate for 15 minutes.
step 2
grate the garlic over a chopping board and very finely chop the parts that remain on the chunky side. sprinkle with a pinch of salt and, using the flat side of a knife, gently squash into a fine paste. spoon the strained yogurt onto a serving dish, add the garlic, and stir to combine well, then season to taste. swirl the centre of the yogurt with a spoon to create a hollow.
step 3
drain the chilies and pat dry with paper towel. remove the stalks and cut into strips about 2 cm (3/4 in) in length. heat the olive oil in a small pan, stir in the chilies and sauté them over a medium-high heat for about 1 minute. stir in the butter, reduce the heat to medium, and once melted, stir in the pul biber (if using). sauté the chilies for a further 30-40 seconds, stirring constantly, then spoon them, along with the infused oil, into the hollow in the yogurt.
step 4
serve immediately with flatbreads or balon ekmek (easy flatbreads).
note: labneh (strained yogurt) is the best option, homemade or store-bought. you can also use a thick, greek-style, whole-milk yogurt (the thicker the better).
serving suggestion
enjoy atom as part of a meze spread or with grills, such as tavuk şiş (chicken shish kebabs with roasted vegetables).
recipes and images excerpted from istanbul by özlem warren (quadrille, may 2026, $60). photography ©sam a harris.
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