Meze "acılı ezme" (hot pepper paste often with walnuts), "haydari" (thick strained yogurt with herbs), "patlıcan salatası" (cold eggplant salad), "beyin salatası" (brain salad), "kalamar tava" (fried calamari or squid), midye dolma and "midye tava" (stuffed or fried mussels), enginar (artichokes), "cacık" (yogurt with cucumber and garlic), "pilaki" (foods cooked in a special sauce), "dolma" or "sarma" (rice-stuffed vine leaves or other stuffed vegetables, such as bell peppers), arnavut ciğeri (a liver dish, served cold), octopus salad, and "çiğ köfte" (raw meatballs with bulgur). In Greece, Cyprus and the Balkans, "mezé", "mezés", or "mezédhes" (plural) are small dishes, hot or cold,
Stuffed artichoke and allspice. A popular Turkish vegetarian variety uses only onion, carrot, green peas, and salt. Stuffed artichoke Stuffed artichoke is a food prepared in various regions. A common Italian stuffing uses a mixture of bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, parsley, grated cheese, and prosciutto or sausage. The mixture is pushed into the spaces at the base of each leaf and into the center before the artichoke is boiled or steamed. Throughout North Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, and Armenia, a favorite filling for stuffed artichoke hearts includes ground lamb. Spices reflect the local cuisine of each country. In Lebanon, for example,