TURKMENISTAN: Lamb Stuffed Flatbread (Içlekli) and Summer Veggie Stew (Batyrma)

This was a fabulous make-ahead, kind of dinner. The lamb filling goes in the flatbread raw, so the prep time is minimal. I rather loved the meal. Not complex flavor profiles or knock-your-socks off, but easy in every sense of the word.

Lamb Stuffed Flatbread (Içlekli)

2 tablespoon melted butter

1¼ teaspoon table salt

3 cups all-purpose flour (I used Cup4Cup)

½ lb ground lamb

½ medium yellow onion

¼ red pepper

pinch of black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.

2. In a large mixing bowl bowl, mix the melted butter, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the flour. Add ¾ cup warm water. Knead for 2 minutes, until a soft dough is formed, adding another tablespoon of water if dough is form or crumbly. Divide the dough in half and roll each half between your palms into a ball. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3. Chop the onion and red pepper finely. Add to a smaller mixing bowl, along with the lamb, ½ teaspoon salt, and the pinches of black and cayenne pepper. Use your hands to mix thoroughly.

4. Roll out a sheet of parchment paper, and drizzle on about ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Roll one ball of dough in the oil, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough ito a large circle, about 10" across. Slide the parchment onto a cookie tray. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a ½-inch border.

   Roll the second dough ball in the same fashion and use the parchment paper to flip it onto the meat covered disc . Fold the edge over itself and press down firmly to seal.

5. Cut a small hole in the center of the pie to allow steam to escape, and prick the rest of the surface with a fork. Bake on the middle rack until the top is light brown, about 25 minutes. If the top does not brown, broil for 1-2 minutes.

   
   

Summer Veggie Stew (Batyrma)

1 onion

1 garlic clove

2 bell peppers

1 large or 2 small eggplants

2 Yukon gold potatoes

2 large beefsteak tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ teaspoon salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Cut the onion in half, then slice. Mince the garlic. Remove the core and seeds from the red peppers and cut into chunks. Remove the end from the eggplant and cut into cubes. Peel the potato and cut into cubes. Remove the core from the tomatoes, then cut into cubes.

2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion. When the onion begins to soften, after about 5 minutes, add the garlic. Cook 1 additional minute. Add the bell peppers, eggplant and potatoes. Cook for for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper flakes. Cover the pan with the lid and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

#içlekli #meatpie #lambpie #batyrma #vegstew #makeahead #turkmen #turkmenistan

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FUN FACTS:

• Turkmenistan's capital city, Ashgabat, holds the Guinness World Record for having the highest concentration of white marble-clad buildings anywhere in the world. Unrelated but related, it is against the law to drive black or other dark-colored cars in this city.

• The Darvaza gas crater is a fiery, man-made natural gas crater in the middle of the Karakum Desert that has been burning continuously since 1971, after a Soviet drilling mishap. But its flames have significantly dimmed and active government efforts are underway to extinguish it.

• Turkmenistan is the only country in the world that has been recognized as neutral by the United Nations.