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Turkish · Dinner

Turkish döner with tomato, yogurt, and pita (İskender kebab)

Home-shaved marinated beef with crisp edges over toasted pita, finished with warm tomato sauce, cool yogurt, browned butter, and grilled vegetables.

About 13 hr 20 minTotal
About 1 hr 20 minActive
$$$Cost
AdvancedDifficulty
Makes 6 servings
Home-style Turkish İskender kebab with crisp shaved beef over toasted pita, warm tomato sauce, cool yogurt, browned butter, and blistered peppers.

Equipment

  • Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

  • 2 pounds beef sirloin, sliced 1/4 inch thick across the grain
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely grated and squeezed, juice reserved
  • 1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, plus 2 cups for serving
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 pocketless pitas, cut in 1-inch squares
  • 3 plum tomatoes, halved
  • 6 long mild green peppers

Instructions

  1. Mix beef with onion juice, 1/2 cup yogurt, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and oregano. Stack slices tightly on plastic wrap, roll into a compact 3-inch cylinder, and freeze 8 to 12 hours until firm but still sliceable.

  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter, cook tomato paste 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes, Aleppo pepper, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer 15 minutes until glossy and spoonable; keep warm.

  3. Broil tomato halves and green peppers on a sheet pan until blistered and tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Toast pita squares on a second pan until dry-edged but not brittle.

  4. Unwrap the beef and shave paper-thin slices with a sharp knife, returning the log to the freezer if it softens. Sear in a in uncrowded batches until browned and 160°F, 60 to 90 seconds per side; season with remaining salt.

  5. Arrange pita on warm plates, spoon over tomato sauce, and pile on beef. Add cool yogurt beside rather than over the crisp meat. Brown remaining butter until nutty and spoon it sizzling over the beef; serve with blistered tomatoes and peppers.

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