The first time I tried this recipe was at a restaurant in Turkey. I was so amazed by the unusual but perfect combination of ingredients that I asked the chef what was in it. He wrote them down on the back of a napkin and then, when I got home, I made it for my family and friends. They were just as impressed as I was, and now I hope you will be too!
I’m always amazed how recipes work. You look at the list of ingredients, and even the pictures of the dish you are going to make, but are never really sure it’ll come out as you expected. It’s a bit like some kind of chemistry experiment.
This recipe is like that; on paper, it looks a little unusual and combines a few ingredients that you might normally think of putting together. But, once you’ve made it, those ingredients marry each other perfectly, and the result is amazing!
This is a dish I discovered while traveling in Turkey. It’s a very Eastern recipe but is also perfect for Western tastes. It’s ideal as an appetizer, or just for a snack. Alternatively, serve it with drinks – it’s up to you. All I know is that it tastes great, and your guests are going to love it.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Number of Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- 2 ounces breadcrumbs, fresh
- 4 ounces crushed pecans
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme leaves
- 2 fluid ounces vegetable stock
- 12 pitted Medjool dates
- 12 small sage leaves
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the garlic, breadcrumbs, pecans, and thyme and cook for another 1-2 minutes until softened. Add a splash of the vegetable stock, stir, and then leave to one side
2. Heat your oven to 180 degrees C. Cut the dates in half lengthways but not quite all the way through. Take small balls of the mixture you just made and stuff them inside each date. Squeeze the sides back together and top with a sage leaf
3. Place the dates on a baking tray and brush with a little more olive oil
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the sage leaf, turns crispy. Serve straight from the oven
Recipe source – bbcgoodfood.com
Picture credit – alittleflavor.com
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