Iskender Kebab

La storia di questo piatto

İskender Kebabı is the beating heart of Bursa, a city cradled between silk and snow, where the shadow of Uludağ mountain falls like a blessing over ancient caravanserais. This dish carries the name of its creator like a crown, a nineteenth-century legacy that transformed a humble street corner into a culinary dynasty etched into Ottoman memory.

Ingredienti

• 500 g Beef for döner
• 2 piece Pide bread
• 400 g Canned peeled tomatoes
• 3 clove Garlic
• 80 g Butter
• 200 g Plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
• 2 pinch Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 small bunch Fresh parsley

Preparazione

1. Slice the beef into thin slices, nearly transparent if you can manage it: this way it absorbs flavor much better and will cook in a flash. Put them in a bowl with oil, paprika, salt and pepper, and massage the meat well with your hands so that every piece gets coated in seasoning, then cover and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. You'll notice that the aroma of paprika will have already become sweeter and more full-bodied, a sign that the meat has made the flavor its own.
2. In a pan, heat the oil and brown the garlic over gentle heat, stirring often: it should only perfume the oil and turn just barely golden, without burning, otherwise it becomes bitter. Pour in the peeled tomatoes, crushing them a little with the spoon, adjust the salt and pepper, and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes. The sauce is ready when it has reduced slightly and, when you drag the spoon across the bottom of the pan, it doesn't immediately fill back in: it will be thick enough not to make the pide too wet.
3. Heat the pan or griddle well before laying the meat on it: if it sizzles as soon as it touches the bottom, the temperature is just right and the beef won't stick. Cook over high heat, cutting the slices even smaller with a spatula as they brown, so the pieces become small, crispy on the outside and still tender inside. Just a few minutes are needed: when the edges are well browned and you no longer see any pink traces, it's time to take it off the heat, because thinly sliced meat dries out quickly if you leave it on too long.
4. Cut the pide into pieces that aren't too small, ones that can still soak up the sauces well, and arrange them as a base on the serving plate. Pour the yogurt in an elegant stripe down the center, place the still-warm beef on top, and distribute the tomato sauce with a spoon, without drowning everything. Last of all, melt the butter until it just begins to sizzle and pour it hot over everything: you'll hear a slight crackling sound, that's the final touch that brings all the flavors together.
5. Chop the fresh parsley at the last moment so it keeps its bright aroma, and scatter it generously over the whole plate to add color and freshness. Bring it to the table right away, while the butter is still hot and steam rises gently from the plate: this dish doesn't wait, it needs to be enjoyed hot because each layer melts into the next in a single harmonious bite.