Maslenitsa-Mасленица

Spring is one of the most beloved seasons for most of the people. I really enjoy early spring here in Istanbul. Compare to cold, and snowy March in New York, we are enjoying Californian warm sun here. We have been spending so much time outdoors, exploring parks, sahil yollar (meaning pedestrian road by the water). Seeing jogging people, girls in tight sport outfits makes me feel comfortable. WARNING: I wouldn't do running in super sexy outfit in every neighborhood of Istanbul.



To warm up my friends on East coast, and Europe, I am baking today specialty of this week -BLINY (блины), Blintzes, Crepes.Whole week was a week of celebration called Maslenica Wikipedia gives us this meaning "Maslenica is a port and village in Zadar County, Dalmatia, Croatia." -No, no, no -that's not what we celebrate. MASLENITSA is according to Wikipedia "an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday. It is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent—that is, the seventh week before Eastern Orthodox Pascha (Easter)" Traditionally, we bake Bliny, and eat them with various fillings -herring, caviar, honey, jams, smoked fish,hard-boiled eggs+rice, meat, and more modern and most popular sweetened condensed milk, Nutella.
There is no recipe of Bliny in my family. It's a product of leftovers, mixing them, reaching correct consistency, and frying on right heavy-bottomed pan. Like yesterday, my mom said that Bliny were fantastic, not like on Monday.
- Mom, did you do something different this time?
- No, of course not. Little bit of milk, 2 eggs, flour. That's it.
So, every time I am about to beat up the batter, I am hoping that BLINY Gods will be happy today with my mixing skills and my bliny will be soft, delicious, and just like my mom's. After 100th recipe, that I had tried, I believe I am getting better, and can post a recipe that you might follow and get delicious result.
In Turkey, I am in constant search of good ingredients. Recently, I found Organic Flour in Migros. I bought two kinds -whole wheat, and regular white flour packages. I cannot write review in fully yet, but I will be making Bliny with white flour today.


I usually, mix the batter right before I pick up my kids from school. After we get home, I work it on two frying pans, and getting the bliny ready in no time in front of my two hungry men.
CREPES-BLINY
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs
3 T sugar
1/2 t salt
70 grams of melted butter
1 T Vanilla extract
1 cup of all-purpose flour

You can use blender to mix all the ingredients together. If you are using mixer, then mix Eggs+ Sugar, do not make it foamy, add salt, butter, half of milk, and vanilla. 1/2 cup of flour, rest of the milk and the rest of the flour (1/2 c).Cover the bowl with batter with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Butter hot frying pans. One ladle of batter should be spread by moving the pan.The edges will turn into light golden color, you flip the crepe over, and fry the other side. Stack crepes on top of each other on the plate.

Apple Tart, or Thanksgiving Preparation

Oh, I haven't written anything in a while. I feel like I am learning to cooke all from scratch here in Turkey. My oven doesn't bake the way I used to ovens, the ingredients don't taste the same, the measurements for local recipes call for tea cups, coffee cups instead of our usual measuring cups and pyrex cup. And my Kitchen Aid mixer was not with me ( and you know it's my best friend)

So, here I am adjusting to the new way around my turkish kitchen, and begging my husband to find me Kitchen Aid mixer, and here my wish comes true. During the recent holiday here in Istanbul, the price for my "Diamond" was reduced by %50. I ran to the store, and purchased the present of the year for myself. I couldn't wait to beat up a batch of my favorite chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate cake. I baked, baked , and baked. Until I realized that I wasn't so comfortable in my pair of jeans. I had an emergency, and last week on Thursday started a Dukan diet. Now, I am cooking for family, and for myself separately, and not so much of baking will be happening in my kitchen for some time until the holidays. I lost so far about 5 Lbs, and happy how the diet is simple and makes me feel. I will try to share some recipes with you from my diet plan, if you'd like.

The thought of having a Thanksgiving Dinner at my home, made me think of all the delicious things, that I can cook. I decided to try to bake some of my Thanksgiving recipes in my new oven ,and using local ingredients. Today I baked an Apple Galette, which I really liked. The original recipe was found on epicurious.com, however I baked it with some slight changes.

Oh, how much I struggled not to swallow the slice of galette ( I am on protein diet).The crust is nice and crumbly, the apples are delicious and sweet, and if you place and vanilla ice cream on top, you will be on heaven.

APPLE GALETTE.
adapted from Epicurious, originally from Chez Panisse.

1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 sticks (165 gr) cold butter
3-4 Tablespoons of ice water

1 1/2 lb Granny Smith apples
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon peel
1/2 lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup of apricot preserves
whole milk or egg wash

You can use processor to make dough or fork/pastry knife. Mix flour+salt+sugar, add cubes of butter, and work it until it looks like crumbs.

Add water, and put the dough into one piece, make a disk,wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Peel your apples, clean and core. I didn't have the core cutting tool, I simple quartered an apple, and gently cut out the seeds.

Slice the apples, and mix them with cinnamon, 2 Tablespoons of sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice.
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Roll out the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper into 14 inches circle. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Take off the top parchment paper, and place your circle on the baking sheet. Spread the preserves over the top, leaving 1 1/2 inches for border. I didn't have apricot jam, and used homemade figs preserves-loved it.

Arrange Apple slices on top. Fold the borders. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar and walnuts on top.

Brush the borders with milk or egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes (I baked 15 Minutes), reduce to 375F, and continue baking until crust is pretty golden color about 30 minutes.
Best served warm with an ice cream on top. I am planning to warm it up in he oven after the dinner, and serve it with delicious walnut ice cream.