Kumpir: Turkish-style baked potato with toppings

The fluffy baked potato is mashed smooth with butter and cheese and forms the basis of kumpir. It is then topped with an array of toppings. It is delicious, easy to make and versatile.

Ozlem: ‘Kumpir is a popular street food, especially in Istanbul; it is our version of a stuffed baked potato. I have fond memories of the kumpir I ate after school at the stalls in the Ortaköy neighbourhood of Istanbul. Some of the traditional toppings are olives, cooked corn kernels, pickled vegetables and slices of Turkish cured sausage (sucuk). It makes for a delicious, satisfying evening meal with creamy, crunchy, citrusy flavours and textures – a wonderful way to use up leftover dips and salads. A traditional kumpir is finished with mayonnaise and ketchup.’

• Start with the quick-pickled red cabbage. Add the finely sliced red cabbage to a bowl and massage the vinegar and salt into the cabbage with clean hands for 1 minute. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour; stir occasionally. You can make this in advance and store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.
• Preheat the oven to 220 °C.
• Wash the potatoes, pat dry and prick each potato 5 to 6 times. Rub with a little olive oil and sea salt and wrap each potato in aluminium foil. Place on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes; turn halfway through.
• Remove them from the aluminium foil, return them to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and fully cooked. Put on oven gloves and carefully insert a knife into a potato to check whether it is cooked; if not, return them to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes.
• While the potatoes are in the oven, cut the corn cob crosswise and place it in a medium-sized saucepan. Add enough boiling water to cover the halves and bring to the boil. Simmer with the lid on the pan for 10 minutes, until the corn is cooked. Drain and leave to cool.

• Place the cooled corn cob on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to cut off the corn kernels. Set the kernels aside in a small bowl.
• Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle but are still hot (the potato needs to be warm to mash properly, so put on an oven glove if necessary), cut each potato lengthwise almost all the way through and carefully open it up. Loosen the potato flesh with a fork.
• Add a tablespoon of butter to each potato, season with salt and pepper and mash very thoroughly (try not to break the skin). Divide the grated cheese over the potatoes and mash again, until the flesh is soft and creamy.
• Garnish with your favourite toppings, sprinkle with the corn kernels and some quick-pickled red cabbage (or pickles of your choice) and serve immediately.