Recipes: Try Aleppo peppers to spice up beef and peppers, mashed potatoes and egg salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Saç kavurma is a Turkish meat dish, typically lamb, prepared quickly with peppers, tomatoes and a few fragrant spices. A saç is a wide metal pan shaped like a slightly tilted wok in which the dish is cooked and served; Kavurma refers to the cooking method of frying or sautéing. For our version of the dish, we use a standard 12-inch skillet instead of a saç, a flat iron steak instead of lamb, and common peppers instead of Turkish green peppers. The recipe is otherwise based on the Saç Kavurma made at Palamut restaurant owned by Ali Osman Öztürk in Sögüt, Turkey. The meat cooks quickly to keep it tender, and the peppers retain some of their crispiness, while the fresh tomatoes break down just enough to create a light sauce that collects at the bottom. A combination of sweet paprika and slightly spicy, slightly smoky Aleppo pepper brings an earthy flavor and a warm red hue, and a little butter brings all the flavors together and adds a touch of richness. Serve with warm flatbread or rice pilaf.

Prepare all ingredients before heating the stovetop; As with most stir-fries, the dish comes together quickly once cooking begins.

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral oil

1½ pounds flat iron steak, cut with the grain into strips about 2 inch wide, then sliced ​​1/8 to ¼ inch thick against the grain

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 2 pieces, divided

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

1¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 cubanelle or Anaheim pepper, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced ​​and sliced ​​crosswise into 2-inch lengths

1 medium red or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced ​​and sliced ​​crosswise into 2-inch lengths

2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

In a 12-inch skillet over high heat, heat the oil until it is barely smoking. Add the beef in an even layer and cook, without stirring, until blotchy brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, 1 tablespoon butter, paprika, thyme, ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes), and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is no longer pink and has released some of its juices, about 2 minutes.

Add cubanelle and paprika and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and beef is beginning to sizzle, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and a cup of water; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are broken down and mixture is slightly acidic, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and remaining ¾ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or remaining ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes). Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Serve sprinkled with oregano.

Turkish mashed potatoes with garlic, yogurt and cheese

Makes 6 to 8 servings

In Turkey, patates paçasi is a comforting dish of cheesy mashed potatoes seasoned with garlic and tangy yogurt. Traditionally, the dish includes kasar, a semi-hard feta cheese, but since it’s difficult to source in the United States, we looked for alternatives. We’ve found that most melt-in-the-mouth cheeses work deliciously, including mozzarella, cheddar, and gruyere, and we recommend using your favorite.

The finishing touch is a drizzle of Aleppo pepper-infused butter, bringing both nuanced richness and earthy heat. For convenience, the mashed potatoes can be placed in the casserole dish without cheese topping, cooled, covered with foil and refrigerated a day in advance. When ready to bake, sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes, cover again with foil and bake as directed.

The potatoes may look watery and thin when first mashed, but the pourable consistency is typical of patates paçasi. After baking, the potatoes develop more structure but retain a light, fluffy texture.

2 pounds red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 cup whole milk yogurt

½ cup half and half

4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

4 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces (1 cup) mozzarella, cheddar, or Gruyere cheese, shredded

1½ teaspoons Aleppo pepper or 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Flaky sea salt for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the lower middle position. Rinse the potatoes in a sieve under cold running water. Drain well, then place in a large saucepan. Stir in 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt, then spread the potatoes out in an even layer and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes fall apart when poked with a skewer, 15 to 20 minutes. If there is still water in the saucepan, increase to medium-high and cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until no moisture remains.

Remove from heat and add the yogurt, half and half, and 2 tablespoons of butter; Mash with a potato masher until combined. The mixture will be very thin at first, but continue to puree until completely smooth and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, eggs, oil, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper; stir until everything is well incorporated.

Transfer the potato mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish and spread out in an even layer. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Place on a wire rack and poke holes all over the surface of the potatoes with a fork. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the Aleppo pepper and cook, tossing, until the butter turns reddish, about 1 minute. Drizzle evenly over the potatoes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (if using).

Turkish Egg Salad with Arugula and Herbs

Makes 4 to 6 servings

In the Turkish egg salad called nergisleme, herbs are typically tossed into the chopped eggs, and the whole mixture is seasoned with little more than olive oil and spicy chili. Taking a slightly different approach, we dress a mixture of arugula and herbs in a lemon vinaigrette infused with sumac and Aleppo pepper (or paprika mixed with cayenne), which we then use as a bed for the eggs. Chopped, toasted walnuts add texture but are optional.

Be careful not to overcook the eggs. Steaming for 11 minutes yields fully cooked but still creamy yolks. Be sure to immediately place the eggs in an ice bath; This stops cooking and also cools them quickly for easy peeling. Serve with warm flatbread.

8 large eggs

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground sumac

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¾ teaspoon paprika powder plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

1 5-ounce container of baby arugula

1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

1 cup lightly packed fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water. Place a collapsible steamer basket in the pan, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water boils, add the eggs, cover and cook for 11 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice water.

While the eggs are cooking, in a large bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, sumac, Aleppo pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Measure 2 tablespoons of the dressing into a small bowl. Set both bowls aside.

When the eggs are ready, immediately place them in the ice bath and let sit until cool, about 5 minutes. Shell the eggs and chop into ¼-inch pieces; put aside.

Whisk together the dressing in the large bowl to combine again. Add the rocket, spring onions and dill and toss well. Place on a serving platter, form a bed of vegetables, then top with the eggs. Drizzle the reserved dressing over the eggs, then sprinkle with the walnuts (if using).

Christopher Kimball is the founder of Milk Street, home of a magazine, school, and radio and television shows. Globe readers get 12 weeks of full digital access plus two issues of Milk Street print magazine for just $1. Go to 177milkstreet.com/globe. Send comments to [email protected]