Ingredients
Meat
- 800 gbeef or lamb, in 3 cm cubes
- or leave it out entirely
Vegetables
- 3potatoes
- 2aubergines
- 2courgettes
- 2red peppers
- 200 ggreen beans
- 2carrots
- 1onion
- 3tomatoes
- 200 gokra, optional
Sauce
- 3 tbsptomato paste
- 4 clovesgarlic
- 150 mloil
- 1 tbspsweet paprika
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspdried oregano
- salt
- 500 mlstock or water
To finish
- chopped parsley
Equipment
- a wide earthenware dish, tava, or a roasting tin
To serve
- bread
- yoghurt
- a green salad
Directions
- Cut them into thick chunks, salt them, and leave them in a colander for 30 minutes. Rinse the aubergine and pat it dry. If frying, do each vegetable separately in hot oil until lightly coloured, and drain them.
- Fry them separately rather than together, since they all cook at different rates. Brown it properly in batches with space around it, since that colour is the base of the flavour.
- Fry the onion and garlic in the same pan. Now take the pan off the heat before adding the paprika. Stir in the tomato paste and cook it briefly, then add the stock, bay and oregano. Put the meat and the hardest vegetables in first: potatoes, carrots and beans.
- Layer hardest at the bottom and softest on top, since the dish cooks from below and the layering does the timing for you. Pour the sauce over and add enough stock to come about two-thirds of the way up. Do not drown it.
- Cover the dish with foil, or a lid. If using an unglazed earthenware dish, soak it in water first and start it in a cold oven, since clay cracks from thermal shock.
- Bake at 180°C (355°F) for an hour, covered. Now uncover it and bake a further 30 minutes. Shake the dish gently if you need to move things. It is done when the potatoes are completely tender and the top is browned and slightly caramelised.
- Rest it 15 minutes before serving. Scatter parsley over and serve it from the dish with bread and yoghurt.
Technique
- The vegetables vary entirely with the season and nothing is fixed.
- Türlü in Turkey and giouvetsi-style bakes across the Balkans are relatives.
- The meat-free version is made during Orthodox fasting periods.
Substitutions
- Any summer vegetables in any proportion.
- A roasting tin in place of an earthenware tava.
Variations
- Posno turli, made without meat.
- With okra added.
- With the vegetables fried first, which is richer.
History
Mixed vegetables and meat baked in an earthenware pot; the name comes from Turkish türlü, meaning assorted.
Frequently asked questions
What is Turli tava?
Turli tava is a main from North Macedonia: mixed meat and vegetable casserole baked slowly. Mixed vegetables and meat baked in an earthenware pot; the name comes from Turkish türlü, meaning assorted.
How long does Turli tava take to make?
Turli tava takes 40 min of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Turli tava?
Yes, within limits. Any summer vegetables in any proportion. A roasting tin in place of an earthenware tava.
What is the most important thing to get right in Turli tava?
Fry them separately rather than together, since they all cook at different rates. Brown it properly in batches with space around it, since that colour is the base of the flavour.
