Turkish Rice Bake with Vegetables and Cheese Recipe
This bake is a bit like a cross between pilaf and lasagna – a layer of rice, vegetables and cheese baked together in one dish. In Turkish homes, dishes like this often appear when there is already cooked rice to use up. It’s a convenient family lunch or dinner that you can assemble in advance and simply bake before serving.
A comforting, family-style Turkish-inspired bake that cleverly uses up cooked rice and turns everyday vegetables into a satisfying, cheesy main dish.
Chef's tips
Don’t overcook the rice at the first stage – it will continue to cook and absorb moisture in the oven. If your vegetables release a lot of liquid, simmer them a bit longer so the sauce thickens; this will keep the bake from becoming watery.
How to serve
Serve warm with a fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and herbs, or with a side of garlicky yogurt. It also pairs well with a simple chopped herb salad with parsley, mint and lemon.
Ingredients
- rice long-grain - 200 g
- water for cooking the rice - 400 ml
- eggplant medium - 1 piece
- zucchini medium - 1 piece
- red bell pepper - 1 piece
- tomatoes ripe - 2 piece
- onion medium - 1 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- yellow cheese grated, well-melting - 150 g
- plain yogurt thick - 150 g
- egg - 1 piece
- olive oil - 4 tablespoons
- sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Rinse the rice in a sieve, put it into a pot, cover with water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook covered for 12–15 minutes, until it absorbs the water and is tender. Leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut the eggplant and zucchini into cubes, the pepper into strips, the tomatoes into cubes, the onion into a small dice, and finely chop the garlic.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent.
- Add the eggplant and fry for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until it starts to soften and brown lightly.
- Add the zucchini and pepper and fry for another 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Add the garlic, sweet paprika and cumin and fry for about 1 more minute.
- Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes, until some of the juices evaporate and you get a thicker vegetable sauce.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the egg and half of the grated cheese, season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread an even layer of rice on the bottom, pressing it down lightly with a spoon.
- Spread the vegetables from the pan over the rice in an even layer. Pour the yogurt-and-cheese mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is set and lightly browned. Let the bake rest for 10 minutes before slicing so it can firm up.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej już pokrojoną na porcje. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku lub na patelni pod przykryciem. Możesz też zamrozić pojedyncze kawałki i odgrzać później.
