Tavuklu BADADEZ (Patates) Kıbrıs Köftesi: Chicken & Potato Cypriot Style Meatballs. If you do one thing this weekend, please make these - I’ve given you three cooking methods; air fryer, oven and fried. #PleaseMakeIt INGREDIENTS: 500g cyprus / white potatoes, peeled 2 medium brown onions, coarsely grated / finely chopped in the food processor 1 large egg 100g white bread, blitzed in food processor to fine breadcrumbs (I use GF) 500g chicken thigh fillets, blitzed in food processor until mince-like 50g fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped / blitzed in food processor 1 tbsp dried mint 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp pul biber 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp coarse black pepper METHOD: Finely grate potatoes into a medium-sized bowl and squeeze liquid out of the potatoes, but do not throw liquid away. Add the strained grated potato to a large bowl then whisk the egg into the reserved starchy potato liquid in the medium bowl. Add the breadcrumbs to the liquid and stir so they are soaked and swell up. This will keep the insides of the köfte lovely and soft once cooked. Add all the ingredients to the large bowl with the grated potatoes in and mix really well until fully combined. If you have time, refrigerate for 30 mins to firm up to make them easier to shape. Using wet hands (to prevent mixture from sticking to them), form into 40 flattened rugby ball shaped patties. AIR FRY: Brush each köfte with a little olive oil and cook at 190c fan for 15-18 mins, turning halfway through. The internal temperature of the cooked köfte should be 80c. OVEN BAKE: Place on greased baking tray, brush with a little olive oil and bake in a preheated oven on the top rack at 190c fan / 210c for 20-22 minutes, until browned on both sides and cooked through, turning halfway though. Internal temperature of cooked köfte is 80c. FRY: Fry for 6-7 minutes in enough light olive oil / sunflower oil at 170c so that köfte are fully coated in the oil until browned all over, and internal temperature of cooked köfte is 80c. *I use a food thermometer (cooked chicken is safe to eat at 74c but I go for a few degrees higher at 80c with these due to the addition of potatoes and breadcrumbs in the mixture). #MelizCooks #köfte #meatballs #potatoes #potato #chicken #friedchicken #airfryer

Ok, what are you having for dinner tonight because I’ve got the perfect, One Tray Crispy Chicken and Potato roast for you. Make sure you use a large, shallow baking for ultimate crispness (rather than a deep one, which will just create steam). It’s an old recipe I never made a reel for, so here it now is! Please make it. Ingredients  3 tbsp cornflour  1 heaped tsp sweet smoked paprika  1 heaped tsp pul biber 2 tsp garlic granules 2 tsp dried oregano  800g Maris piper potatoes, cut into 2-3 inch chunks  2 large onions, peeled and quartered 8 large chicken thighs  4 tbsp olive oil  1 tsp sea salt flakes  3/4 tsp coarse black pepper Few sprigs of fresh rosemary Method Preheat your oven to 200c fan / 220c conventional.  Mix together the cornflour, sweet smoked paprika, garlic granules and oregano.  Place the potatoes, onions and chicken thighs in a large shallow baking tray – make sure the tray is large enough so that the ingredients aren’t packed on top of each other as they need room to crisp up, rather than steam, whilst cooking. Sprinkle the cornflour mixture into the tray and, using your hands, mix everything together so that the chicken, onions and potatoes are fully coated. Pour in the olive oil, and again, using your hands, rub the olive oil into everything really well so that you can no longer see any of the cornflour mixture but instead have formed a paste-like oily coating to the chicken and potatoes. Wash your hands well, then sprinkle over the sea salt and black pepper, nestle in the sprigs of rosemary, and pop the tray in the oven on the middle shelf for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes, take the tray out, flip the potatoes over but do not touch the chicken – just leave the thighs alone, as no basting is required at all. Pop the tray back in the oven for another 30 minutes or so or until the chicken is crispy and a rich gold golden brown colour, and the potatoes are cooked through in the middle. #roastchicken #roastpotatoes #crispychicken #potatoes #roastpotatoes #traybake #saturday #recipe #recipereels #easydinner #melizcooks

AD Ok, what are you having for dinner tonight because, if like me, you’ve reached the end of the week and want to make the most of the odds and ends in your fridge and store cupboard, then I really think you should make my Kıbrıs Usulü Hellimli Yalancı Soğan Dolması (Meat-Free Baked Stuffed Onions with Hellim). This is one of my favourite recipes (it’s an old one) on the @aeg.uk website (so I’m making as AD from this previous collab) for these incredible, yet very budget-friendly, and vegetarian, stuffed onions with hellim. I often find that when it comes to vegetarian dishes, the most simple fresh and store-cupboard ingredients can produce the most delicious offerings, especially with a few key techniques in the kitchen – and this really is one of those recipes. • Use olive oil when frying onions (and vegetables in particular), and take your time when softening them on the hob – they really will add a delicious sweetness to your dishes • Cook down pastes and purees for a few minutes to add a stronger depth of flavour to recipes • Whack up the heat in your oven for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time to caramelise your vegetables – this will add a delicious change in flavour, texture and appearance to your meal. Some of my top tips and hacks to prevent food-waste on the AEG website are perfect for this recipe, such as using surplus finely chopped onions, lemon juice, fresh parsley and tomato puree from the freezer, and even freezing blocks of hellim for when you need it next. This dish is really elevated when fresh tomatoes are in season and sweet-smelling fresh spearmint of Moroccan mint can be sourced. However, if more suitable, feel free to swap out the fresh tomatoes for good-quality finely chopped tinned tomatoes, and the fresh mint for 2 tbsp of dried mint. Full recipe on the AEG website, link in bio, please make it. #melizcooks #dolma #onions #vegetables #hellim #halloumi #stuffedvegetables #baked #AEG

Bayramınız kutlu olsun (Happy Eid / Eid Mubarak) to everyone celebrating 💕🧿⭐️ #bayram #bayramınızkutluolsun #HappyEid #EidMubarak #bayramtatlısı #filo #yufka #baklava #dessert #tahini #carobmolasses #sweetthings #yummy #delicious #MelizCooks #fyp

I LOVE LOVE LOVED cooking “Magarına Fırında” (Pasta in the Oven) at @Jamie Oliver HQ a couple of weeks ago and @This Morning yesterday, so I thought I’d share a little reel of how it’s done! Full recipe in #MelizsKitchen and on the @ITVX website! Ingredients For the béchamel 100g unsalted butter 100g plain flour 1.2 litres whole milk 1 bay leaf 150g halloumi, finely grated ½ tsp coarse black pepper 2 tbsp dried mint 4 medium free-range eggs 1 tsp sesame seeds (sea salt to taste) FOR THE PASTA 2 tsp sea salt 500g long tubular pasta (Mezze Zita / Mezzani A / bucatini, Zite work too – see Meliz’s know-how) 150g halloumi, finely grated 1 tsp dried mint For the filling 3 tbsp olive oil 750g (fatty) beef / lamb mince 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tbsp dried mint 3 onions, finely chopped 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 50g flatleaf parsley, finely chopped #magarınafırında #pasta #pastabake #hellim #halloumi #melizcooks #recipe #recipereels