Turkish-Cypriot Cuisine
North Cyprus  
 


Desserts
  Shammali (Yoghurt, Almond and Semolina Cake)
  Serves 6
   
   Ingredients 
  • 1 glass cooking oil
  • half glass sugar 
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 glasses semolina (fine or coarse)
  • 1 glass self raising flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 glass milk (you might need less or a little more)
  • about 2 tablespoons roasted split almonds
  • optional: 1 teaspoon almond essence
  For the syrup
 
  • 3 glasses water
  • 2 and a half glasses sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  Preparation

Make the syrup first: bring the ingredients to the boil, simmer gently for about 20 minutes, leave to cool.

Thoroughly whisk all the ingredients for the bake (less the flaked almonds) to a thick batter like consistency (like a sponge cake mixture) - add the milk gradually, stopping when the raw cake mixture is smooth enough.

Place mixture in greased tin and sprinkle the almonds on the top. Bake in medium oven (200 C) for about 60 min. until the top is golden brown and the cake shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin. Pour cold syrup over hot cake, leave to cool and cut in squares for serving.

   
   
Recipies
     

   
References
 
  • Vegetarian dishes have been marked with sign
  • Albrecht, M. (1994), Turkish Cypriot and Mediterranean Cookery, Havellia Publishing, London.
  • Salaman, R., (1991), The Cooking of Greece and Turkey, Sainsbury Cookbooks, London.
  • Jemal, H., Cyprus Today, various.
  

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