Discover Istanbul's Ottoman Flavors in a Hands-On Cooking Class

What to Expect

In our half day cooking classes, you will be taught from scratch how to make different recipes from Turkish and Ottoman Cuisine. Usually we cook a balanced 5 dish meal, including a soup, 2 vegetarian starters, one meat based main course and a dessert.

We adapt our menus for vegan/vegetarians and those who has allergies or food restrictions.

Classes are very hands on and we are very centrally located in the heart of Sultanahmet close to Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Menu

We generally pick the menu a few days prior to the class, depending on the size of the group and special requests. Our meze menu we only do in AM classes because it doesn't have a main dish. If you have certain preferences, let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate.

Menu 1

• Ezogelin çorbası – Red lentil and bulgur soup with dried mint and chili
• İmam bayıldı – Eggplant cooked in olive oil with onion, garlic and tomato
• Kabak mücveri – Zucchini pancakes with white cheese and herbs
• Etli yaprak sarması – Vine leaves stuffed with meat, served with yogurt
• Şekerpare – Syrupy semolina cakes with hazelnuts

Menu 2

• Yayla çorbası – Hot yogurt soup with dried mint, cumin and lemon
• Zeytinyağlı taze fasulye – Runner beans cooked in olive oil with onion
• Ispanaklı saç böreği – Anatolian flatbread filled with spinach
• Karnıyarık – Eggplant stuffed with meat and bell peppers, with bulgur pilaf
• İncir tatlısı – Walnut-stuffed dried figs cooked in clove syrup

Menu 3 – Meze only

• Zeytinyağlı dolma – Vine leaves stuffed with rice, herbs and spices
• Patlıcan salatası – Smoky eggplant salad with garlic
• Mercimek köftesi – Spicy red lentil balls with cumin and parsley
• Çerkez tavuğu – Circassian chicken salad with walnuts
• Pastırmalı sıcak humus – Oven-baked humus with cured beef
• Künefe – Shredded pastry stuffed with cheese and soaked in syrup

Menu 4

• Kuru bamya çorbası – Dried okra soup with tomato
• Acılı ezme – Spicy onion and bell pepper salad
• Fava – Armenien broad bean puree with dill
• Hünkar beğendi – Lamb sauté on smoky eggplant puree
• Fırında sütlaç – Caramelized milky rice pudding or (when in season)
• Ayva tatlısı – Quince stuffed with apple, cooked in syrup

Schedule

Afternoon Class:

• 4:30 pm: Meeting at the school and getting ready for class
• 9:00 pm: End of class