The ultimate pasta flex
If your weeknight dinner rotation is feeling a little mid lately, we’ve got you. Gurdeep Loyal just dropped a recipe for Turkish-inspired lamb pasta—traditionally known as markana—and it is highkey giving main character energy. It’s got big savory vibes, a hit of umami, and a garlicky yoghurt sauce that honestly? We’re obsessed.
The secret sauce
The real MVP here is biber salçası, a concentrated red pepper paste. You’ll want the acı (spicy) version to get that deep, umami heat paired with cumin-spiced lamb. The recipe uses paccheri pasta, which is the perfect choice because those wide, cavernous rings hold onto all that saucy goodness. No cap, the texture is everything.
How to make it happen
- Sauté: Get your onion, salt, cumin seeds, garlic, and 500g of lamb mince into a pan until it’s browning nicely.
- Simmer: Stir in your spicy pepper paste, tomato puree, dried mint, and a pinch of sugar. Add 250ml of water and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Prep the extras: While that’s bubbling, boil your paccheri. In a small bowl, mix your yoghurt with extra garlic and lemon zest.
- The final touch: Melt butter with pul biber and sumac until it’s browned, then stir your pasta into the lamb sauce. Add a splash of lemon juice and fresh dill. Top with the garlic yoghurt and that spicy sumac butter, and you’ve basically just aced dinner.
Why it matters
Cooking at home doesn't have to be a chore. Using bold, pantry-staple ingredients like Turkish pepper paste is an easy way to level up your culinary skills without spending all night in the kitchen.
