Tarhana (Turkish Yogurt Soup)

Instructions

Dissolve the sugar in the tepid water, sprinkle the yeast over the top, and leave it for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir it well.

Blanch, peel and seed the tomatoes. Peel and roughly chop the onions, and remove the stems, seeds and membranes from the green peppers before cutting them roughly.

Purée the tomatoes, onions, green peppers and yogurt in batches in a blender or food processor.

Combine everything except the flour, including the yeast mixture, the cayenne, the paprika and salt, and mix well. Add flour gradually until you have a stiff dough, then knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a large non-reactive bowl and cover it with waxed paper, not plastic wrap. Leave it at room temperature for 10 to 12 days, punching it down once a day and kneading in more flour if it turns watery. It is ready when it no longer rises and has lost its stretch.

Rub the dough between your hands onto a parchment-lined tray so it forms small pieces. Cover with cheesecloth or mesh and dry it in a cool, well ventilated place, breaking it into smaller pieces as it dries and crumbling it as fine as you can.

When the crumbs are completely dry, which takes a week or more, pulverize them in a blender a little at a time. Store the mix in freezer bags or large jars in a cool place or the refrigerator, where it keeps up to 12 months.

For the soup, mix 1 cup of the dry mix with 3 cups of water or meat stock, stirring with a wooden spoon until softened. Add more liquid until the soup is thickish and creamy, stir in the tomato paste, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with croûtons, parsley, or paprika-infused butter or olive oil if you like. Serve with Turkish bread or a crisp baguette.