Turkish Barbunya Pilaki Recipe – Borlotti Beans In A Tomato & Olive Oil Stew

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In Turkish cuisine there is a group of dishes known as zeytinyağlı yemekler (olive oil dishes). And, of these dishes, Barbunya Pilaki is definitely our favourite.

We do love our okra in olive oil on occasion (well, it is extremely healthy) and we occasionally enjoy green beans in olive oil, too.

But the sight of barbunya (borlotti beans) on the markets around Fethiye just screams out summer.

Podding Is Therapeutic

Barbunya season is a happy time in our house.

You can buy these fresh borlotti beans from Fethiye Market or the Sunday Çalış market in a bag, already podded.

But that feels like cheating and there’s just no fun in that. We always buy barbunya in their pods.

Because what could be a more therapeutic activity than sitting on our terrace in Fethiye, enjoying the late summer breezes, podding barbunya?

Each colourful bean pops from its protective case and (mostly) falls into the waiting bowl.

(Some get a bit over-excited and pop off in the opposite direction, landing on the floor).

Ahh, the joy of podding…

Simple pleasures!

Light And Summery

“Olive oil dishes” could almost sound as if these types of meal are going to be really heavy on the stomach.

But, actually, they’re the exact opposite.

They’re so fresh and light. And perfect for light summer lunches or as part of your meze offerings when you have friends over for barbecues.

For this Turkish barbunya pilaki recipe, the squeeze of fresh lemon juice and the chopped parsley garnish just add to the fresh summer flavours.

When we make barbunya pilaki, we make a lot, whether we have guests or not.

We just can’t get enough of it and it never lasts long enough for us to have to worry about it getting past its best!

The Best Summer Ingredients For Barbunya Pilaki

So, we’re in Fethiye and we’re using seasonal ingredients. We’re going to be using seasonal fresh borlotti beans straight from the pod.

And, at the same time, we’re blessed with the enormous summer Turkish tomatoes. We’ll be using those, too.

It’s what makes seasonal cooking so pleasurable. But we know not everyone has these ingredients to hand.

Not to worry!

That doesn’t mean you can’t make barbunya pilaki if you’re elsewhere in the world. Tins to the rescue!

Variations Of Barbunya Pilaki

As with most recipes you come across, there are variations of this Turkish barbunya pilaki recipe.

Not everyone makes it the same way. It all depends on personal preference.

Carrot Is Optional For Pilaki

Some people don’t like to add carrot, for instance, but we just love the colour changes to the sauce and also the sweet flavours created by the carrot.

In fact, if you don’t want to use carrot, you might even need to add another half teaspoon of sugar, depending on your personal taste.

You can see the stew has a more orange tint to it. We love our barbunya pilaki like this.

You Could Add Potato

You might also come across barbunya pilaki with small cubes of potato in it, too.

We’ve experimented with this in the past but it’s not for us.

This makes the dish slightly heavier – which might be better if you’re in colder parts of the world.

And, like we said, when we make barbunya pilaki, we make a lot.

We found we had to get through it much quicker because the potato didn’t last as long as the other ingredients in the fridge.

We’ve already said that this Turkish barbunya pilaki recipe is a perfect member of your summer meze table.

And it makes a great accompaniment to the grilled meat goodies coming off the barbecue.

We also like to buy kömürde piliç (whole chicken roasted over coals) and eat this cold with zeytinyağlı barbunya pilaki on the side.

Pilaki – The All Important Garnish

But, however you choose to eat your barbunya pilaki, don’t skip on the parsley and lemon juice garnish – they’re essential for ultimate enjoyment!

Now, chances are, once you’ve polished off a serving of this yummy borlotti (or cranberry bean) stew, there are going to be some tempting looking juices left behind on your plate.

No fear there, though; some fresh crusty bread will sort that little problem out for you.

Tear the bread. Mop up the juice. Enjoy!

A Turkish Barbunya Pilaki Recipe

Right, time to make barbunya pilaki – borlotti beans cooked in a stew of olive oil, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and carrots.

And that’s how we make one of our favourite summer dishes. Easy to make, light and tasty.

A good dose of protein, too, from those beans!

Afiyet Olsun!

• If you like to make barbunya pilaki, do you add carrot or potato – or neither? Let us know in the comments below.
• All of our Turkish recipes are now accessible on one page. Click to view our index of Turkish recipes.

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