As summer makes way for autumn in the towns and villages of Turkey, the task of preparing winter foodstuffs begins. This is a tradition that goes back thousands of years. Until modern times it was crucial for every household to preserve and store sufficient food for the long winter months, and neighbours still get together to help one another, turning the hard work into an enjoyable social ritual. Since large quantities are involved, the work is carried out in the sofas (shared living area of a house), courtyards and terraces. Yufka (large, paper thin circles of bread) are rolled out, baked and piled up to the ceiling; flour, yoghurt and spices are kneaded into tarhana dough and spread on clean sheets in the sun to dry for winter soup; vegetables are purchased when they are most plentiful and at their cheapest in the markets for making pickles; sheets of pastry are sliced rhythmically on wooden tables to make dried noodles, the tapping of the knife mingling with the shouts of children playing and the chatter of the women.

Green peppers, courgettes and aubergines hollowed out ready for stuffing and hung on strings to dry adorn the house walls and balconies like brightly jewelled necklaces. Today, thanks to tinning, shock freezing and the spread of greenhouse cultivation, almost every type of fruit and vegetable is easily obtainable throughout the year, but this has by no means affected the popularity of traditional dried foods. On the contrary they have gained in popularity in recent years due not only to their distinctive and irreplaceable flavour, but to the newly awakening interest in ecological foodstuffs. Peppers are perhaps foremost among dried foods, and stuffed dried peppers are truly delicious. Indeed some people enjoy them so much, that they even make this dish in the summer. Green and red peppers, the latter generally hot, are dried separately. The stalks and seeds of the small green bell peppers used for stuffing are removed, and then they are threaded onto strings and hung in the shade to dry. Red peppers on the other hand are hung in the sun.

STUFFED DRIED VEGETABLES (Peppers, aubergines and courgettes)
Ingredients: 20 mixed dried vegetables 250 g minced meat 1 cup rice 3 medium onions 1 tblsp tomato paste 1 tblsp pepper paste 2 fresh tomatoes 3 cloves garlic fresh parsley and dill dried mint, cumin, black pepper, salt 1/2 cup oil Preparing the stuffing: Finely chop the onion, garlic, parsley and dill. Grate the tomatoes. Add the minced meat, rice, half of the tomato and pepper paste, dried mint, spices, salt, 1/4 cup oil and 1/2 water. Blend well.
Method: Boil a saucepan of water, turn off the heat, toss in the dried vegetables, cover and leave for half an hour. Drain and fill the vegetables with the stuffing. Arrange in a saucepan. Add water to cover, the remaining oil, and the remaining tomato and pepper paste diluted with some water. Weigh down the stuffed vegetables with a china plate that fits easily into the saucepan, cover and cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes. Leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.

STUFFED LEAVES (Quince, cherry and bean)
Ingredients: 250 g dried leaves 1 tblsp flour 1 egg 1 tsp sugar 1 kg yoghurt 3 onions 2 tomatoes 2 cups fine bulgur salt
Method: Place the bulgur in a bowl and pour over 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and leave for half an hour. Meanwhile place the dried leaves in hot water, soak for half an hour and drain. Knead the bulgur well and placing hazelnut sized pieces on each leaf, roll them up to the thickness of cigarettes, tucking in the edges as you roll. Place the stuffed leaves in a saucepan, add sufficient water to cover and cook over a medium heat until the leaves are tender. In a separate saucepan blend the flour, egg, sugar and yoghurt with salt to taste and half a litre of water. Stir over the heat for 15-20 minutes, then pour over the stuffed leaves and continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile finely chop the onions and fry in 1/4 cup of oil. Add the grated tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon some of this sauce over each helping