Almost Turkish Recipes

Turkish Breakfast on a Toast (Fırında Domates ve Peynirli Ekmek)



























When I was a kid I loved having freshly baked steaming hot bread, but then who wouldn't. Also, having hot bread every morning in Turkey was and still is possible. People usually know when their neighborhood bakery takes out the new batch of bread. We went to the bakery around that time and they used to wrap the really hot bread in old newspapers. We would and still do cut the bread lengthwise and spread as much butter as it could hold and eat it. But then for mom the biggest challenge was to come up with creative ways to use stale bread. This recipe was my mom's way of making us consume stale bread. It was family favorite for breakfasts, brunches, or afternoon tea-times. Everything you expect from a Turkish breakfast is here on a slice of bread: tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, parsley, banana peppers, and eggs.

Must-haves of this recipe are stale "real" bread (never ever use any kind of wanna-be breads such as sliced toast bread variety or freshly baked "real" bread, since they both get really soggy with tomato juice. I prefer baguettes), fresh tomatoes, banana peppers, feta cheese, parsley, and an egg. The rest is up to you; you can add, remove, or modify the ingredients.

1 French baguette, sliced any way you want (I use French bread, because it tastes more Turkish to me than any other bread; however, you can also use sourdough, whole wheat, whole grain, etc.)
2 medium fresh tomatoes, petite diced
1 banana peppers or sweet Italian peppers, chopped (never use bell peppers)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/3 cup black olives, pitted and chopped (Turkish olives would be great but Kalamata would work just fine. No canned olives)
1 egg
1/3 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed pepper (optional)
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt (how much salt you will use depends on what kind of feta cheese you have; if it's a really salty one you may not even need salt)

-Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Place the tomato mixture on bread slices with a spoon. If the bread is "really" stale, use the juice from the bottom of the bowl to wet the top of the bread slice. Place the bread slices on a broiler tray
-There will be some juice left in the bowl. Put some on top of each slice
-Broil 6-7 inches below heat until slightly brown. Approximately 8-10 minutes

14 comments:

  1. hi! your blog is... delicious!! Now excuse me, i have to go eat!!!
    ana

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  2. What a wonderfully inventive way to use stale bread.

    Thanks for sharing and check back later for the Weekend Herb Blogging Event round up.

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  3. I think it sounds really wonderful. I like all the components! Turkey is one of the countries where I haven't been and I'm dying to go there.

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  4. your recipe really wows me!!! I love it!

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  5. I'm glad you liked the recipe. After soo many years it's still my favorite breakfast treat!

    Kalyn: if you decide to go to Turkey let me know, I might be there or can name places or restaurants.

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  6. Anonymous1:59 PM

    I just found your food blog and we have something in common. My parents lived in Turkey for awhile, they are origianlly from Greece but now we live in Boston. Most of the recipes I see in your site are the same ones like my family uses.

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  7. Hey Krista,
    I love Greek food, but there's not a good Greek restaurant here. I'll be in Boston in November, can you tell me a good Greek restaurant in Boston?

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  8. Woww sounds great. Tomorrow I am going to prepare this with Turkish Tea. I liked your blog and by the way we are from same home city( Tekirdag).

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  9. Thanks, Mademoiselle! Let me know if you have a good Tekirdag kofte recipe :)

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  10. omg, that looks sooooo delicious, I can wait to try it.

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  11. I'd love to try this recipe, I'm just a little confused on the egg. Is it hard-boiled, scrambled, fried...you don't say. Might be obvious to some.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Marty, you just break a raw egg and mix with all the other ingredients.

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