Turkish Potato and Zucchini Bake with Yogurt Recipe
This is a layered bake of thinly sliced potatoes and zucchini, covered with an egg-and-yogurt mixture and baked until golden. In Turkish homes, similar dishes are served for dinner or a light lunch, often with a simple tomato salad. In taste and appearance it’s a bit like a lighter version of French gratin, but with a distinct yogurt note.
A light, Turkish-style take on a gratin that uses yogurt instead of cream, giving the dish a fresh tang and a slightly lighter texture while still staying comforting and satisfying.
Chef's tips
Slice the vegetables as evenly and as thinly as possible so they cook at the same time. If the top browns too quickly, cover the dish loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking.
How to serve
Serve warm, cut into squares, with a fresh tomato salad or a mixed green salad. A spoonful of thick yogurt or a simple garlic-yogurt sauce on the side pairs very well.
Ingredients
- potatoes peeled, thinly sliced - 600 g
- zucchini medium, thinly sliced - 2 pieces
- plain yogurt thick - 300 g
- eggs - 3 pieces
- yellow cheese grated, e.g. gouda or cheddar - 80 g
- garlic pressed - 2 cloves
- vegetable oil for greasing the dish - 1 tablespoon
- salt divided between the vegetables and yogurt mixture - 1 teaspoon
- black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- sweet paprika, ground for sprinkling on top - 0.5 teaspoons
- parsley chopped, for serving - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish of about 20×30 cm with oil.
- Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly, ideally about 3 mm thick so they bake quickly. Wash the zucchini and slice it thinly as well.
- Lightly salt the potato and zucchini slices (use about half a teaspoon of salt) and toss in a bowl so the salt is evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, eggs, pressed garlic, the remaining salt, and pepper. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Arrange the first layer of slightly overlapping potato slices on the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of zucchini on top. Repeat until you use all the vegetables, finishing with a layer of zucchini.
- Pour the yogurt–egg mixture over the vegetables, making sure it seeps between the slices. Gently shake the dish so the mixture spreads evenly.
- Sprinkle the top with grated cheese and dust with sweet paprika.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender. You can check with a fork to see if it slides in easily.
- After removing from the oven, let the bake rest for 10 minutes so it sets slightly and is easier to slice. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce, najlepiej już pokrojoną na porcje. Podgrzewaj w piekarniku lub mikrofalówce; po rozmrożeniu może być nieco bardziej wilgotna, ale nadal smaczna.
