Turkish vegetable soup with orzo; Sehriyeli Sebze Corbasi
Soup have a special place in Turkish cuisine; traditionally meals always start with a soup. For my small family, a hearty soup can be a main course itself with some nice crusty bread next to it. I made this lovely Turkish vegetable soup with orzo pasta today and it went down very well. My son was under the weather and after having the soup, he said, “I love this corba, mummy, just what the doctor ordered!” – best compliment to my ears.
Orzo pasta or “sehriye” as we call it in Turkish fits in this soup very well, thickens the broth beautifully and makes it substantial. Being a lemon fan, I give a generous squeeze, with plenty of red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper over the soup for a delicious heat, when serving. You can also crumble some feta cheese over the top before serving if you’d like too. For a gluten-free option, you can use rice instead of orzo pasta.
I hope you enjoy this delicious, easy Turkish soup, Sehriyeli Sebze Corbasi, Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 bell peppers (red, yellow or green), deseeded and coarsely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped in small pieces
- Handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 180 gr / 6¼ oz / 1 full cup orzo pasta
- 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 400 gr / 1 can of chopped tomatoes
- ½ tbsp. double concentrated tomato puree
- 1.2 litres / 2 pints hot water or vegetable stock
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 10 ml / 2 tsp. Turkish red pepper flakes or chili flakes
- Extra wedges of lemon to serve
- Crusty bread or pide bread to serve
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy, wide sauce pan and add the onions, peppers and carrots. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, they will start to soften up.
- Pour in the hot water or vegetable stock. Also pour in the chopped canned tomatoes and the tomato puree, stir well. Cover and bring to to the boil.
- Stir the pot and cover again, cook for 10 minutes at medium to low heat.
- Then add the orzo pasta, season with salt and ground black pepper and combine well. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes at medium to low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the orzo pasta is cooked, stir in the parsley, pour in the lemon juice and combine well. Check the seasoning and add more salt and ground black pepper, if needed. Turn the heat off.
- Serve hot with Turkish red pepper flakes or chili flakes over the soup, with extra wedges of lemon and crusty bread by the side. Afiyet Olsun.
Turkish Pide Class at Blid & Hatton Gatherings, Cobham – England
Wednesday, 14th December, 2016, 10 am – 2 pm
I am delighted to return to the lovely Food Studio at the Blid & Hatton Gatherings at Medicine Garden in Cobham, England on Wednesday, December 14th, 10 am to 2 pm, to teach a Pide Turkish Cookery Class, along with many other treats, fit for the festive season!
We will make scrumptious Turkish flatbreads, Pide with spinach & cheese, Pide with minced meat and vegetables, gorgeous salad with tomatoes, watercress, walnuts and pomegranates. We will finish with caramalised carrots delight with walnuts & shredded coconut, Cezerye, Turkish Coffee and Turkish Delight.
Bring a friend and join us to learn how to make and enjoy these treats!
The Menu will include:
Ispanakli, Peynirli Pide – Turkish oval flat breads with spinach & feta
Kiymali Pide – Turkish oval flat breads with minced meat & vegetables
Tomato, watercress, onion salad with pomegranate molasses and walnuts
Caramalised carrots delight with shredded coconut, Cezerye
Turkish Coffee
Turkish Delight
This is a friendly, hands on class, suitable for all levels and participation is limited; the class would make a lovely gift for the holidays too!
Hope you can join us!
Ozlem