Meze Atlas, Other cold plates

Topik

/to·PEEK/

Chickpea and potato dumpling filled with slow-cooked onion, pine nuts and tahini

Our chef's recipe, coming soon. This is the classic version, as it is made on most meyhane tables.

Ingredients

• 250 gdried chickpeas
• 1potato (about 200 g)
• 1 kgonions, thinly sliced
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbsppine nuts
• 2 tbspcurrants, soaked for 15 minutes
• 1 tspground allspice
• 1 tspground cinnamon, plus extra to serve
• 1½ tspsalt
• 4 tbsptahini, plus extra to serve
• 1lemon

Method

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight, then simmer for about 1½ hours until very soft. Drain, rub off the skins and boil the potato in its skin until tender.
2. Cook the onions in the oil, covered, on very low heat for 40 minutes until soft and sweet without colouring. Add the pine nuts, currants, allspice, cinnamon, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp tahini.
3. Mash the chickpeas and peeled potato with 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp tahini into a smooth, firm dough.
4. Divide into 4. Flatten each portion on a square of damp muslin into a 15 cm round, put a quarter of the filling in the centre, bring the dough up around it and twist the cloth to seal into a ball.
5. Steam or poach in barely simmering water for 30 minutes. Cool and chill in the cloth overnight.
6. Unwrap, cut in half and serve with tahini, lemon and a dusting of cinnamon.