Beetroot with Olives, Toasted Hazelnuts & Pul Biber Oil - Zeytinli, Fındıklı, Pul Biber Soslu Pancar Recipe
by Ozlem Warren
-
Easy
We love pancar (beetroot) and great big bunches of it can be found in our pazar (farmers’ markets) in İstanbul. The modern eateries and cafés of the city also serve it in salads, usually cooked and then dressed in oil and vinegar, but sometimes grated and mixed with yoghurt too.
Inspired by this, I combined cooked beetroot with briny green olives and crunchy, toasted hazelnuts, ingredients that bring layers of flavour and texture to this easy meze. The nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses) in the dressing adds a natural sweet-and-sourness that goes well with the beetroot, complementing both the cooling yoghurt and the heat of the pul biber oil. You can replace the hazelnuts with your choice of nuts, if you wish.
Ingredients for Zeytinli, Fındıklı, Pul Biber Soslu Pancar Serves: 6
- 650g beetroot, raw or pre-cooked
- 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 85g stoned green olives, halved
- 55g shelled hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- small handful parsley, finely chopped
Ingredients for Garlic Yoghurt
- 170g full fat Turkish or Greek yoghurt (use a plant-based version, if preferred)
- 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
-
salt
Ingredients for Dressing
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 30ml nar ekşisi (pomegranate molasses)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
-
salt
Ingredients for Pul Biber Oil
How to make Zeytinli, Fındıklı, Pul Biber Soslu Pancar
- Take the yoghurt out of the refrigerator about 45 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature. Stir in the garlic, season with salt and set aside.
- If you prefer to cook your beetroot, wash, trim and pat dry. Wrap each beetroot in foil (first cutting small beetroot in half lengthways and large ones into quarters), place on a baking tray (pan) and bake in an oven preheated to 200˚C fan/220˚C for about an hour. Allow to cool before carefully peeling then skin and cutting into 5 mm thick slices.
-
If using pre-cooked beetroot, drain the excess juice from the package, halve any large beetroot, then cut into 5 mm thick slices. Place the beetroot in a bowl, add the spring onions and olives and combine well.
Toast the hazelnuts in a small, dry pan set over a medium heat for 2 1/2 –3 minutes, until they start to turn golden, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside. - Pour the extra virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice into a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and give everything a good mix with a small spoon.
- Pour the olive oil into a small pan, stir in the pul biber and allow to infuse over a low heat for about 45 seconds.
-
Stir most of the toasted hazelnuts into the beetroot mixture, reserving some for garnish. Pour over the dressing, combine well, then spoon onto a wide serving dish and top with dollops of the yoghurt, swirling it to reveal the lovely shades of pink and red. Sprinkle with the reserved hazelnuts and the parsley, and drizzle over the pul biber oil.
About the author
Originally from Turkey, Özlem is passionate about sharing her homeland's culinary heritage. Her journey began in 2005 when she taught Turkish cookery classes at the Central Market Cooking School in Texas. Moving to England in 2009, Özlem launched her Turkish recipe blog, "Özlem's Turkish Table," connecting with food lovers worldwide. Today, she teaches in many prestigious cookery schools, and has written several cookbooks about the food of Turkey.
