İskender Kebab (At Home Version)

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground beef and/or lamb (A mix of beef and lamb is traditional)
• 1 White onion (Grated and squeezed of excess liquid)
• 2 tbsp Full fat yogurt (For the meat mixture)
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (Or red pepper flakes)
• 0.5 tsp Cumin
• 0.5 tsp Paprika
• 0.5 tsp Dried oregano
• 0.25 tsp Cinnamon
• Salt (To taste)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 2 tbsp Butter (For cooking the meat)
• 1 tbsp Butter (For the tomato sauce)
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 cup Passata
• 0.5 tsp Smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp Sugar (To balance the acidity)
• 4 tbsp Unsalted butter (For the Aleppo brown butter topping)
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper (For the brown butter topping)
• 1 loaf Pide bread (Soft fresh bread, cubed)
• 1 cup Plain full fat yogurt (For serving)
• 2 Long green pepper (Or Cubanelle pepper, charred for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and/or lamb, grated white onion, full fat yogurt, Aleppo pepper, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the spices are evenly distributed.

2. 2

   Form the meat mixture into a tight log shape, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 1-2 hours. This makes it easier to slice into thin, kebab-like strips.

3. 3

   While the meat is chilling, prepare the tomato sauce. In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

4. 4

   Stir in the passata, smoked paprika, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer the sauce on low heat for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Keep warm.

5. 5

   Remove the meat log from the freezer and use a sharp knife to shave off very thin slices.

6. 6

   In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the thin meat slices until browned and cooked through. Set aside.

7. 7

   Char the long green peppers in a pan or over an open flame until the skin is blistered.

8. 8

   Prepare the Aleppo brown butter by melting 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pan until it begins to foam and turn golden brown. Stir in the Aleppo pepper and remove from heat immediately.

9. 9

   To assemble, cut the pide bread into bite-sized cubes and arrange them on a serving platter. Lightly toast the bread cubes if desired.

10. 10

    Pour a generous amount of the warm tomato sauce over the bread cubes.

11. 11

    Layer the cooked meat slices over the sauce-covered bread.

12. 12

    Place a large dollop of plain full fat yogurt on the side of the plate and garnish with the charred green peppers.

13. 13

    Just before serving, pour the sizzling Aleppo brown butter over the meat and bread.

Notes

Freezing the meat log is the secret to getting those characteristic thin 'doner' style slices at home. If you don't have pide bread, a thick, fluffy pita or focaccia can work as a substitute.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Turkish
• dinner
• meat
• kebab
• comfort food