Small Plates, Vast Flavors
From our first visit to Anatolia, we were captivated by the tradition of the meze table, an array of small plates of marinated olives, spicy chickpeas, pickles, seasoned nuts, firm white cheeses, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, rich eggplant puree and other savory snacks, often accompanied by anise-flavored rakı or a glass of wine. Seafood meze may include fried small fish, grilled sardines, stuffed mussels, taramasalata and octopus salad. We’ve enjoyed mezes in settings as diverse as a seaside restaurant in Istanbul’s Ortaköy neighborhood while ships glided through the Bosporus toward the Sea of Marmara, and on the living room carpet of a small apartment in the central Anatolian village of Konya.
While every culture in the Middle and Near East has its own version, the Turkish meze table first gained popularity in the court of the Ottoman Empire, where complementary dishes were chosen not just to sate the appetites of the sultan and his court but also to prolong the enjoyment of an evening. We’ve embraced the meze table in our own homes because it’s a casual, fluid way to entertain that allows us to spend time with our guests.
The list of possible mezes is diverse, from quick Turkish pickles in lemon brine and a handful of spicy chickpeas to a substantial dish like Swordfish with Lemon, Fennel and Rakı served in appetizer portions. For our Meze Fridays (sometimes held on Saturdays), we enlist friends to keep a watchful eye on roasting peppers or help us roll out dough for Grilled Flatbread to accompany the dips and sauces we love to make. No matter what we serve, we know the conversation will be lively and more often than not, as is common in Turkey, about food.
Afiyet olsun. Enjoy.
Attila’s Olives with Garlic and Preserved Lemon
MAKES 2 CUPS (310 g)
We met Attila the summer we ran a pension in Kalkan where many nights we found ourselves on the back porch at his home—a former Greek fisherman’s house built of now-crumbling stone—in the center of town, known affectionately as the Ruins. Under the porch’s sagging thatched roof, we’d sip rakı until dawn while Attila served his latest batch of olives, purchased from a village farmer and marinated in oil, garlic, green peppercorns and preserved lemon. Unless we’re in Turkey where the black Gemlik variety is common, especially as a breakfast olive, our favorite mix to use is a blend of plump kalamatas, meaty manzanillas and nutty picholines.
2 cups (310 g) mixed olives in brine
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon whole green or black peppercorns
1 teaspoon thinly sliced rind from preserved lemons, or 1 tablespoon zest from a fresh lemon
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Put the olives and brine in a small bowl. Add the garlic, peppercorns, preserved lemon rind, and Aleppo pepper. Gently stir to combine. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally to distribute the flavors. Olives may be stored in a covered container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Cucumber Pomegranate Pickles
SERVES 4 TO 6
Shops throughout Turkey called tursulari display jars of pickled vegetables and fruits: whole lemons, bright red peppers, long green beans, tan crescents of garlic clove layered with cherry tomatoes and tiny gherkins. This Turkish twist on marinated cucumbers has a subtle tang from pomegranate molasses. In addition to the meze table, these tart-sweet pickles go well with köfte and in green salads. The cucumber gets softer over time, so it is best to serve these within two days.
1 large cucumber
1/2 cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Peel the cucumber in stripes, leaving some of the green skin. Slice into 1-inch (6-cm) thick rounds and put in a shallow bowl.
In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar and pomegranate molasses and stir to blend. Add the salt, pepper and sugar. Whisk in the olive oil. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumber slices and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour to allow the cucumbers to absorb the flavors.
Savory Spiced Chickpeas
MAKES 31/2 CUPS (770 g)
Spiced, roasted chickpeas, called leblebi, have been part of the Turkish meze table since at least the twelfth century. They are also a staple throughout the Levant and the Middle East. Remains of domesticated chickpeas have been found in the Neolithic city of Çayönü in southeastern Turkey on a tributary of the Tigris River. In 1875, Ottoman-Armenian composer Dikran Tchouhadjian composed a famous operetta, The Leblebi Vendor, dedicated to the spiced, roasted chickpea sellers whose carts were once plentiful on the streets of Istanbul.
31/2 cups (770 g) cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15-ounce/425-g) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground dried lemon peel
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.
Pat the chickpeas dry on a clean kitchen towel. Put in a medium bowl and add the olive oil to coat.
In a small bowl, combine the salt, Aleppo pepper, dried mint, sweet paprika and lemon peel. Add the spice mixture to the chickpeas, stirring gently to coat.
Spread the chickpeas on the baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 1 hour, or until they are crisp, turning them once or twice. Serve at room temperature or store in the pantry in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
The Gulf of Fethiye in the ancient Lycian capitol of Telmessos, home of King Croesus
◁ Anatolian Nut Mix
MAKES 3 CUPS (385 g)
When we grow nostalgic about our travels through Anatolia, we invite friends to Meze Fridays. Austin, a regular visitor to our kitchen, is in charge of roasting the nuts, patiently turning and stirring them in an old cast-iron skillet to achieve that spice-crusted perfection. This combination of walnuts from the Aegean, pistachios from the southeast and hazelnuts from the Black Sea is a favorite. Dried mint adds a bright note, and Aleppo pepper a warm kick. If you wish, toss 1 cup (220 g) of Savory Spiced Chickpeas into the mix. Serve warm as part of a meze platter, or with a glass of rakı or ouzo poured over ice with water.
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup (120 g) whole raw walnuts
1 cup (130 g) raw shelled pistachios
1 cup (135 g) hazelnuts or 1 cup (120 g) cashews
In a small bowl, combine the Aleppo pepper, salt and dried mint.
Melt the butter in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts or cashews. Mix to coat the nuts with the butter.
Turn the heat to low. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the nuts and stir so that they are evenly coated.
Toast the nuts, stirring occasionally, until they are evenly browned and the spices are fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir the nuts again and let them cool in the pan. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
Once completely cooled, store the nuts in a sealed container. They will stay fresh for 2 weeks on the counter and 6 months in the refrigerator. To refresh the nuts before serving, heat them in a pan over low heat for 5 minutes.
◁ Quick Saltwater and Lemon Pickles
SERVES 8 TO 12 AS AN APPETIZER
From our first bite in a taverna overlooking a sweep of turquoise-blue water, we were hooked on saltwater and lemon pickles. Ridiculously simple to make, this take on a classic relish tray—carrot, celery, cucumber sticks—pleases everyone. For a softer pickle, prepare up to 24 hours in advance and let the vegetables marinate in the refrigerator. For crunchier pickles, make them just before serving. For parties, we like to serve the pickles in small mason jars filled halfway with the brine. Traditionally eaten with rakı, they are perfect with cocktails.
Fennel tastes great but will impart a pronounced licorice flavor to all the vegetables. The fennel can also be brined and served separately or added to the mix. Radishes make a flavorful addition; red radishes, however, will turn the brine pink, so they too can be brined separately. The parsley turns mellow when added to the brine and makes a very compelling snack when plucked from the jar.
2 cups (473 ml) cool water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) lemon juice
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley
3 allspice berries
3 whole peppercorns
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into thin 6-inch (15-cm) sticks
4 medium carrots, cut into thin 6-inch (15-cm) sticks
6 stalks celery, cut into thin 6-inch (15-cm) sticks
1 fennel bulb, sliced (optional)
1 bunch radishes, sliced in half (optional)
Put cool water into a shallow nonreactive dish. Add the salt and mix until it dissolves. Stir in the lemon juice, parsley, allspice berries and peppercorns.
Add the cucumber, carrot, celery, fennel and radishes, or divide the brine and marinate the fennel and radishes separately, according to your preference. All the vegetables should be covered with the brine.
Let the vegetables marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. You also can make the pickles ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The pickles get better as they absorb more brine.
Yogurt Dip with Cucumber and Mint (Çaçik)
SERVES 6 TO 8
Almost all cultures of greater Anatolia have a version of çaçik and the basic ingredients—yogurt, cucumber and salt—are the same. Garlic is much appreciated in Turkish çaçik and its Greek cousin, tzatziki. Herb combinations vary, but we love the cool balance of mint and garlic. For a Greek version, add dill and omit the mint and Aleppo pepper. In addition to a meze, çaçik makes an excellent sauce for fish and köfte and a protein-rich accompaniment for pilafs.
2 cups (480 ml) plain yogurt
1 to 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup (75 g) peeled, seeded cucumber, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint, or 1 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, for serving
Put the yogurt in a small bowl. Place the garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Using the side of your knife mash the garlic into a paste. Stir the garlic paste, cucumber and mint into the yogurt. Season to taste with additional salt.
Çaçik can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated. To serve, spoon into a shallow bowl, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Aleppo pepper.
Baked Hummus with Pine Nuts
SERVES 6 TO 8
Our friend Eveline, Istanbul resident and Cordon Bleu–trained chef, taught us to make her version of baked hummus at a cooking school she ran for many years in the shadow of the Blue Mosque. Spiced with cumin, blended with olive oil and a bit of yogurt to encourage the chickpea puree to puff when baked, this hummus is topped with pine nuts and melted butter infused with Aleppo pepper. Served in individual bowls with fresh hot pide (flatbread), this makes a lovely first course.
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
31/2 cups (440 g) cooked chickpeas, or 2 (15-ounce/850 g)
cans chickpeas, drained, 2 tablespoons of liquid reserved
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (35 g) pine nuts
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pulse the garlic cloves in a food processor to mince it. Add the chickpeas, the chickpea liquid, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, white pepper and crushed cumin seeds. Pulse until the chickpeas are pureed but not gummy. Add the yogurt and pulse to blend.
Spoon the hummus into a shallow ovenproof dish and sprinkle the pine nuts over the top. Bake for 25 minutes, just until the nuts are toasted and the hummus begins to puff and brown.
While the hummus bakes, melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small skillet. Stir in the Aleppo pepper and cook for 1 minute. Keep warm.
Remove the hummus from the oven and pour the butter over the top. Serve warm with bread or crackers.
◁ Carrot Hummus with Toasted Fennel Seeds
MAKES 11/2 CUPS (342 g)
This delicious, nourishing spread adapts the concept of hummus with familiar ingredients. It is based on yogurtlu havuç, a classic Turkish meze dip. Toasted fennel seeds and flaky sea salt add a bit of crunch. Serve the hummus with Classic Puffed Pide Bread or Stuffed Flatbread.
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
11/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup (236 ml) water
3 tablespoons yogurt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Put the carrots in a medium heavy saucepan. Add the salt and 1 cup (236 ml) water.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are very tender and the water is nearly evaporated. If the water evaporates before the carrots are fully cooked, add a little more. Remove from the heat and drain any water left in the pan.
Add the yogurt to the carrots and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. (You can also use a food processor or blender.) The mixture should be creamy but not too thin. For a chunkier hummus, mash the carrot mixture in the pan with a fork.
In a small frying pan over medium heat, combine the fennel seeds and sea salt. Toast until the seeds are fragrant and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the carrot hummus to a serving plate with a shallow rim. Sprinkle with the fennel salt before serving.
Eggplant Puree (Patlican Salatasi)
SERVES 4 TO 6
Of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of eggplant dishes in Turkey, the puree known as patlican is the most iconic. The secret to making a silken, smoky puree is to roast the eggplants until their skins blacken and the flesh completely collapses. It’s worth the effort to squeeze out some of the juice (which can be bitter) and remove as many seeds as possible. Serve with Grilled Flatbread, or as a side for lamb or chicken kebabs.
4 medium or 2 large eggplants
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Poke a few holes in the eggplant and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Roast for 30 minutes or until the skins are almost blackened and the eggplants collapse. If the eggplants are large, they may need more time in the oven.
Remove the eggplants from the oven and use tongs to set them in a colander in the sink or over a bowl. Press gently on the eggplants to squeeze out some of their juice.
When cool enough to handle, set the eggplants on a cutting board. Remove and discard all of the skin. If there are a lot of seeds, remove most of them; a few seeds are fine in the finished dish.
With a sharp knife, chop the eggplant flesh as finely as possible to an almost mashed consistency. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl.
Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, yogurt and salt to the eggplant and mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley and serve.
Jeweled Beet Dip (Pancar Çaçik)
SERVES 4 TO 6
If you were to stroll through a vegetable stall in southeastern Turkey during the second millennium BCE, you would have found beets for sale, as well as cumin. Oranges were yet to be introduced from India and China, but are now one of Turkey’s top exports. We peel the beets and then grate them by hand on a box grater or in a food processor fitted with a grating disc. Serve this classic, colorful dip with Classic Puffed Pide Bread or Grilled Flatbread.
1 heaping cup (150 g) grated beets (about 2 large or 3 medium beets)
11/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Put the grated beets in a colander over the sink or a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and toss to mix well. Let the beets sit for 30 minutes, pressing on them occasionally to drain as much liquid as possible.
In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt and olive oil. Add the orange zest and juice, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside until the beets are fully drained.
Fold the drained beets into yogurt mixture. Spoon into a small serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley.
Sautéed Mushrooms with Allspice and Black Pepper
SERVES 4 TO 6
Allspice, the main seasoning in this dish, lends sweet complexity to the earthy mushrooms. For the best flavor, buy whole allspice and grind the berries with a mortar and pestle right before using. We like to serve these warm as part of a meze selection, and they also make an excellent side dish for lamb chops.
1 pound (454 g) mushrooms (cremini, shiitake or a mixture)
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
11/2 teaspoons freshly ground allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Slice the mushrooms 1/2-inch (25-mm) thick, or leave whole if they are small.
Melt the butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft but not browned. Add the allspice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the mushrooms for 4 to 6 minutes, until tender and nicely browned. Add a little water if the mushrooms are too dry, and to keep the allspice from becoming gritty.
Season with the pepper and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and parsley. Taste to adjust seasonings. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Grilled Halloumi with Lemon Caper Sauce
SERVES 4 TO 6
One evening, in the tiny kitchen of a rented bungalow in Bellapais, a small town in northern Cyprus, we cooked thick slices of local halloumi cheese on an aluminum stovetop grate made specifically for that purpose. The salty, firm white sheep’s milk cheese originated on this island in the eastern Aegean during the medieval Byzantine era. Because the fresh curd is heated before the cheese is shaped and brined, halloumi has a long shelf life and a high melting point, making it an excellent choice for the frying pan or the grill. Serve hot with Classic Puffed Pide Bread as a salad course or as a meze with icy glasses of Persephone’s Revenge.
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon capers
1/2 pound (227 g) halloumi
Sunflower, grapeseed or canola oil, for brushing the grill
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Heat a grill or heat a stovetop grill pan to medium-high.
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over low heat until warm, but not hot. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt, oregano and capers. Remove from the heat but keep the sauce warm.
Lay the cheese on a work surface horizontally. (Halloumi comes in approximately 3 by 4-inch / 75 by 100-mm blocks.) Cut into 1/2-inch (13-mm) slices for a total of 8 pieces.
Brush the grill with sunflower oil. Lay the cheese slices on the grill and heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until they brown and show grill marks. Flip the cheese and grill until lightly browned, for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Put the grilled cheese on a warm platter. Scatter the tomatoes over the cheese and pour the warm dressing over it. Season with pepper and top with the parsley.
Halloumi cheese, pride of Cyprus, turns soft and smoky on the grill.
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Yaprak Sarma)
MAKES 30
The word dolma describes the many stuffed vegetables that exist in Turkish cuisine; any vegetable that can be hollowed, be it pepper, okra or cucumber, can be filled. Sarma are made by wrapping a filling in grape, cabbage or other vegetable leaves.
Preparing dolmas and sarmas has always been a communal affair. When Turkish women gather in the kitchen to stuff and roll tender leaves, they pride themselves on making the thinnest, tightest sarmas, often using an index finger to indicate that they must not be any thicker.
There are almost as many dolma and sarma fillings as there are cooks. The Ottomans added sour cherries, chickpeas, currants and pine nuts to various fillings. The combination of minced lamb, rice, cinnamon and lemon is also popular. Whether you’re fortunate enough to have neighbors providing fresh leaves for blanching from their own grapevines as Angie does or you use them from a jar, the process of making sarmas becomes as much about gathering family or friends in your kitchen to stuff and roll the leaves as it is about serving this classic Turkish finger food.
Serve the sarmas warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges and plenty of Yogurt Dip with Cucumber and Mint.
FOR THE FILLING
1/4 cup (35 g) dried currants or raisins
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pine nuts or shelled pistachio nuts
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chopped dill
3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint, or 1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
11/2 cups (270 g) basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR ROLLING THE SARMA
30 grape leaves, fresh (see Preparing Fresh Grape Leaves) or store-bought
3/4 cup (177 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice, or the juice from 1 medium lemon
Put the currants in a small bowl. Cover with warm water and soak for 15 minutes, draining any leftover liquid.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pot or large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned. Stir in the pine nuts, allspice, cinnamon, dill, Aleppo pepper, mint, sugar and tomato paste. Add the rice and 3/4 cup (177 ml) water and bring the mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is still chewy, 10 to 15 minutes. (The rice will continue to cook inside the sarmas.)
Remove the pot from the heat and add the salt and pepper, adjusting to taste. Stir in the currants, if using. Set the filling aside to cool. The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.
If using fresh grape leaves, prepare according to the instructions shown here. If using grape leaves from a jar or can, gently rinse them to remove excess salt. Trim the stems to the base of the leaf if necessary.
To make the sarmas, separate the grapes leaves and place a leaf on a clean work surface, shiny side down, with the wide base of the leaf nearest you. Put 1 teaspoon of filling at the base of the leaf. (You can adjust the amount of filling depending on the size of the leaf, but do not overfill. Overfilling the leaves will cause the sarmas to burst during cooking.)
Fold the sides of the leaves inward, right side first and left side over right, covering the filling. Begin rolling the leaf from the base toward the top, continually tucking in the sides of the leaf to make a tight cigar shape. Repeat until all the leaves have been filled.
To cook the sarmas, invert a heatproof ceramic plate in the bottom of a large pot and cover with a layer of grape leaves, or use a steamer basket lined with grape leaves so that the sarmas do not sit directly on the bottom of the pan. Carefully place the sarmas on the plate, seam-side down and very close together in one tight layer. Stack another layer of sarmas on top as needed. A snug fit will keep them from falling apart.
Pour the olive oil then the lemon juice over the sarmas. Invert a second plate over them and press down gently. Pour in 2/3 cup (158 ml) water.
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the sarmas for 1 hour. Halfway through the cooking process, check to see if additional water is needed. The pot should not dry out.
Let the sarmas cool for 15 minutes before carefully removing them from the pot to a serving plate.
Stems are removed from the grape leaves before they’re rolled into rice-stuffed sarmas.
Preparing stuffed grape leaves has always been a communal affair.
◁ Feta Cheese Warmed in Olive Oil with Rakı
SERVES 4 TO 6
Sliced feta cheese and tumblers of rakı are a classic Anatolian combination. Here, we pair the two in the pan. When the rakı’s alcohol burns off, a gentle hint of anise remains, melting into the creamy feta. Substitute ouzo or Pernod, if you wish. Serve with Grilled Flatbread or pide chips.
1/2 pound (227 g) Greek feta cheese
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons Turkish rakı
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional)
Slice the feta cheese into equal pieces not more than 1-inch (25-mm) thick.
In a small cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil until it ripples. Lay the feta slices in a single layer in the oil.
Increase the heat to medium-high and fry the cheese for 1 minute. Add the rakı and oregano and fry for an additional 3 to 4 minutes until some of the alcohol burns off, the cheese becomes soft in the middle and the edges ooze into the olive oil. Do not turn the cheese. It may brown slightly at the edges, giving it a nice crust.
Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cheese. Dust with the Aleppo pepper, if using. Serve warm from the pan or slide the cheese and any browned bits clinging to the pan onto a warmed plate with curved sides.