Guest Author - Catherine Bridges
A Turkish variety of sandwich is comprised of a tava served on warmed pita or flatbread. Unique herbs and flavors exotic to mainstream Americans, tava is a traditionally a vegetable-based, savory filling flavored with lamb or mutton.
Very generally, fry in a skillet prebaked cubes of eggplant with lots of fresh garlic and two or three sliced onions. When the eggplant is tender and browned, toss in chopped, (precooked) meat (lamb, ground beef, etc.,) then, add a handful of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil, tarragon, and cilantro or mint etc.,). Add two whole canned tomatoes or two fresh tomatoes, peeled, and chopped fine. Add half cup pine nuts, and a dash of olive oil to bind the mixture. Spread the warm, savory mixture between thin, warmed pita, flatbread or biscuits. Before closing the sandwich, add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt that has had a dash of lemon juice and crushed red pepper added in. Close pitas and serve.
Beef and Eggplant Tava Recipe
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 pound ground beef or lamb, cooked and drained
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint and dill
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 flatbread pitas, warmed
Yogurt Sauce
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
Chopped dill and/or mint
Preheat oven to 450º. Toss eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a big pinch of salt; place on a large rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 12 minutes, or until eggplant is browned and soft.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook about 3 minutes. Add eggplant to skillet, and toss. Add herbs and lemon juice, and toss to combine. Add beef or lamb, breaking it apart with the spatula. Toss everything to combine, and cook until the mixture is warmed through.
In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper flakes, and herbs. Stir to combine. Spoon filling into bread, dollop with yogurt sauce and serve.
This recipe holds a bit more closely to the true spiciness of Turkish tava, so use the chilies sparingly to find your custom heat level.
Spicy Meat Tava Recipe
• 2 1/4 lbs diced stewing steak
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 green Serrano chili, seeded and diced (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chilies
Preheat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit.
Place the beef into a casserole or baking dish. Mix in the red onion, bell pepper, tomato and fresh and dried chilies.
Cook uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes in a preheated oven, or until the meat is tender. Serve hot with flatbread, or wrapped in a pita.
If you’d rather experience tava in a casserole, try this chicken version that is sure to please family and guests:
Chicken Tava Casserole Recipe
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 (12 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (6 ounce) jar mushrooms, drained
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a medium casserole dish. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the chicken until juices run clear. Puree the roasted red peppers in a blender or food processor until smooth. In the prepared casserole dish, mix the cooked chicken, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Enjoy!
