Recipe: Kabak Tatlisi (sweet Turkish pumpkin)

The best of Turkey is a wonderful cookbook if you want to get to know Turkish cuisine (better). Author Hilal Kayis shows you what makes the cuisine of her homeland so special. Because we all know Turkish mezze, börek and köfte, but this rich cuisine is about so much more than that. Every region in Turkey has its own flavors. The same goes for Antalya, where this sweet pumpkin is eaten as a dessert.

Hilal: “This dessert from Antalya is truly next level. Easy to prepare and on the table in no time. Because of my roots in Silahtar, Kayseri, I drizzle this dessert with extra grape molasses alongside the tahini for a double flavor sensation.”

How to make kabak tatlisi (sweet pumpkin)

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
• Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and sprinkle the sugar over it.
• Bake for 20 minutes on the oven’s steam setting. Set the oven to 200 °C for a beautiful crust and bake for another 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
• Serve the pumpkin on small plates with a few tablespoons of tahini drizzled over it. Finish with the walnuts or hazelnuts.
• If your oven does not have a steam setting, you can also steam the pumpkin with the sugar in a pan over low heat. The pumpkin releases moisture and becomes tender. Then place the pumpkin in the oven for a beautiful crust.

Title: The best of Turkey
Author: Hilal Kayis
Price: €24,99
Publisher: Carrera Culinair

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