Almost Turkish Recipes

Stuffed Chard with Bulgur and Cheese / Lorlu Pazı Sarma



Stuffing green leaves with ground meat, herby rice, or grains is a common practice in Turkish cuisine. Although not as popular as grape leaves, stuffed chard is a staple dish for both Black Sea region and eastern Anatolia. The two different types of stuffed chard I had had were with ground meat and cracked corn, so I was very excited when I found this recipe for stuffed chard in a book in Yasemin's kitchen. The recipe is from Sahrap Soysal, a popular Turkish chef, food connoisseur and writer, whose book Bir Yemek Masalı won several Gourmand Awards in 2004 in Spain, including "Best Local Cookery Book in the World." I adopted the recipe from the English translation of this award-winning book, A Cookery Tale.















for four people
2 bunch green chard
1 cup fine bulgur
1 very generous cup of cottage cheese or ricotta
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1 big onion, grated
2 tbsp dry basil
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp butter
salt

-Cut the stems of chard.
-Boil some water in a big pot. And cook chard leaves in boiling water for ~2 minutes four or five leaves at a time.
-Put the leaves on a colander and let cool.
-In a bowl put the bulgur and add 1 cup of boling water. Wait until bulgur soaks the water.
-Add the rest of the ingredients to bulgur except for butter and mix well .
-Place a chard leaf on a flat surface (kitchen counter, tray, plate, etc.) the veiny part up. Cut the big vein in the middle out-otherwise it'd be hard to roll.
-Depending on the size of the leaf put 1-3 tbsp of stuffing on the top, not the stem, part of the leaf and roll like a cigar. Chard is much easier to deal with than grape leaves, and far more forgiving.
-Place the rolls side by side in an order in an oven proof dish.
-Place the small pieces of butter evenly on top.
-Pour 2 cups of hot water on top.  
-Bake rolls in a preheated oven at 385F for approximately an hour checking frequently after half an hour to make sure it still has some water.
-Serve rolls hot with yogurt, and even better, with garlicy yogurt (=1 clove of smashed garlic mixed well with 2 cups of yogurt)

18 comments:

  1. Hi Burcu! Again a lovely recipe with great pictures! Did you receive my email about your nomination for a Beautiful Blogger Award? Check out my blog today www.seasonalcookinturkey.blogspot.com! I love your blog!

    best regards,

    Claudia from Istanbul

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  2. I often stuff vegetables but never tried using this cheese bulgur combination. It sounds wonderful

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  3. I'm making these right now! I just came back from the pazar with some lovely pazi and lor cheese. Thanks for the recipe.

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  4. That is a great combination. Would love to try it next time I am stuffing some leaves! It does not happen that often though due to the long process :)

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  5. a great looking recipe and a great, inspiring blog overall. Thanks for sharing!

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  6. Anonymous5:47 PM

    Im going to eat these for my lunch :)

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  7. My Turksih husband will enjoy these when I make them for him.....he loves sarma. Thanks for-)sharing ;)

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  8. OMG! this is my new favorite blog!:)

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  9. Anonymous11:12 AM

    Looks tasty. Could you use quinoa or just rice for the bulgar? I don't have any on hand, but assume a different grain would be fine, as stuffed grape leaves have white rice.

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  10. Quinoa would be just fine.

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  11. I have never thought of stuffing green leaves, but it is such a great idea! I bet the bulgur filling is delicious.

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  12. If I can't find chard, what else would you recommend?

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  13. collard greens would be great

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  14. Hi Burcu,

    I don't go in for comments much but I've just come across your blog and it's really very good! I spent some months working in Istanbul a couple of years ago and all the recipes I cam to love you've got here. Have you been to Ciya by the way? One of my favourite restaurants, but my favourite is a cheap home-cooking style place called Helvetica, Gallata. Un Saludo from Yogi Kitchen here in Spain!!

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  15. Adam and Theresa, Ciya is one of my fav restaurants, too. But I've never been to Helvetica. I'll be back in Turkey in July and I have to go there this time.

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  16. I have made stuffed chard many times, as it is used in Lebanese kitchens almost as much as grape leaves; this is one version I have never tasted and am eager to check it out and try!

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  17. yemeklerimizi tanıttığınız< için tşk...

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  18. Jason2:58 PM

    Delicious, especially with a (few) glasses of kalecik karasi

    For those not imbibing Turkish wine by the case, it is a medium bodied, red fruit grape similar to grenache

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