Turkish Oven Baked Pasta Recipe

Dishes made with flour, better known as 'hamur isleri' (ham-oor' eesh-leyr'-ee), or 'dough works, ' have always been popular in turkish cuisine. Everything from meat-filled dumplings, dried homestyle noodles and tasty layered cheese pies made from freshly rolled out sheets 'yufka' (yoof-kah'), or fresh dough have been prepared in turkish kitchens for centuries. However, italian-style fresh and dry pasta, or 'makarna' (mah-kar'-nah), has only worked its way into turkish cuisine during the mid-20th century. Even so, 'makarna' has become just as popular as the classic dishes and is now part of turkish practical cuisine. Dry pasta is sold everywhere in most shapes and forms, like spaghetti, linguine, penne, elbows, bow-ties, corkscrews, alphabets and other familiar shapes. Some varieties are also manufactured according to turkish preferences like orzo, fine noodles for soup and oven pasta. Most larger supermarkets also carry an array of ready, jarred sauces from classic tomato, pesto and spicy arabbiata-type sauces. Even so, the most popular way to eat pasta involves none of these modern conveniences. The "Turkish way" To eat cooked pasta is to toss it with some oil and salt, then add about a tablespoon of crumbled turkish white cheese, similar to feta, on top. Then, top it off with a generous blob to tomato ketchup. Pasta is served this way nearly everywhere from school and workplace cafeterias to simple restaurants serving turkish fare. Ask any child if they want 'makarna' for dinner and this is what they'll ask for. Another turkish pasta dish is called 'frn makarna' (fur-un' mah-kar'-nah), or 'oven pasta. ' this delicious side dish is another children's favorite. It most resembles macaroni and cheese. It features dry pasta that's slightly thicker than spaghetti and has a hollow center, like a long, narrow tube. After boiling the pasta tubes, they are baked in the oven in a bechamel sauce containing milk and cheese. The result is a rich, puffy, creamy side dish that goes well with any meat meal. It's also great on its own, with a squeeze of guess what? Ketchup.