Ingredients
Potatoes
- 2very large baking potatoes, about 500 g each
- olive oil
- coarse salt
Mash
- 100 gbutter
- 150 gkaşar cheese, grated
- salt
Toppings
- sweetcorn
- green and black olives
- pickled gherkins
- Russian salad
- sausage slices
- couscous salad
- peas
- red cabbage
- mushrooms in oil
- ketchup and mayonnaise
Directions
- Use the largest baking potatoes you can find, at least 500 g each.
- Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 1 hour 15 minutes, until completely soft to the squeeze.
- Take them out, unwrap, and cut a deep slit lengthways without cutting through the base. The skin becomes the container and the filling becomes a single smooth buttery mass.
- Work fast while it is very hot, because the cheese has to melt into the potato completely.
- Season with salt and level the surface.
- Finish with ketchup and mayonnaise squeezed over in a zigzag.
- Serve immediately with a fork, eaten from the skin.
Technique
- Kaşar is the Turkish semi-hard cheese and it melts smoothly; a mild cheddar is close.
- Russian salad, the mayonnaise potato and pea salad, is a standard topping and surprises visitors on top of a potato.
- It is a full meal and one is more than enough.
Substitutions
- Mild cheddar or a young Gouda in place of kaşar.
- Any large floury potato.
Variations
- With every topping on offer, which is the usual order.
- With a plain butter and cheese mash and nothing else.
- Made small, with two medium potatoes.
History
Associated with Ortakoy in Istanbul, where a row of stalls popularised the loaded version from the 1980s onward.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kumpir?
Kumpir is a street food from Turkey: giant baked potato mashed with butter and cheese, piled with many cold toppings. Associated with Ortakoy in Istanbul, where a row of stalls popularised the loaded version from the 1980s onward.
How long does Kumpir take to make?
Kumpir takes 20 min of preparation and 1 hr 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Kumpir?
Yes, within limits. Mild cheddar or a young Gouda in place of kaşar. Any large floury potato.
