Turkish meat sauce with homemade pasta (yogurtlu kıymalı makarna)

Cucumber, parsley, tomato and garlic yoghurt add fresh elements to this otherwise meaty dish. Semolina is mixed with flour to make the Turkish pasta.

Turkish meat sauce with homemade pasta Credit: Feast magazine

• serves

  4

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Ace

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to coat
• 600 g minced beef
• 25 g butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra, to serve
• chopped cucumber, chopped tomato and lemon wedges, to serve

Erişte (Turkish pasta)

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 200 ml milk
• 375 g (2½ cups) plain flour, plus extra, to dust
• 60 g (½ cup) fine semolina*
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Garlic yoghurt

• 250 ml (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt
• 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

Chilling time 30 minutes

Resting time 8 hours

Instructions

To make pasta, place eggs and milk in a bowl and whisk until combined. Sift flour and 1½ tsp salt into a large bowl, stir in fine semolina, then make a well in centre and pour in milk mixture. Using a fork, draw in flour, working from the centre outwards, until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut in half. Working with one piece at a time, roll out to a 60 cm x 40 cm rectangle. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into thirds. Arrange pieces in a single layer on lightly floured clean tea towels, then cover with more tea towels. Set aside at room temperature for 8 hours.

Meanwhile, to make garlic yoghurt, place yoghurt and garlic in a bowl, stirring to combine. Season with pepper, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, for 6 minutes or until browned all over. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until softened. Add paprika and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add beef to onion mixture in saucepan, then cover and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until beef is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in chopped parsley.

To cook pasta, coat a large, flat tray in olive oil. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Place eriste on a large board and cut each piece lengthwise into 1 cm strips. Dust lightly with extra flour to prevent pieces from sticking to each other. Working in batches, add to boiling water and cook, stirring gently to keep strands separated, until al dente. Drain well, then place on prepared tray. When all pasta is cooked, divide among bowls, top with beef mixture, garlic yoghurt, extra parsley and chopped cucumber and tomato. Season and serve with lemon wedges.

Note

• Fine semolina is available from delis and specialist food shops.

Photography Chris Chen

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.