Kumpir

Kumpir (Turkish Stuffed Baked Potato)

Kumpir is the iconic oversized baked potato sold from street carts across Istanbul. The potato is baked until fluffy, mashed with butter and cheese, then mounded high with colourful toppings of your choice.

Prep

10 min

Cook

75 min

Total

85 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •4 large russet or marabel potatoes, about 300 g / 10½ oz each, similar in size so they cook evenly
• •80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, Turkish butter is slightly salted; if using, reduce added salt
• •150 g (5¼ oz) kasar or mild cheddar cheese, kasar is the traditional choice; a good melting mild cheddar is the closest substitute
• •120 g (⅔ cup) sweet corn kernels, boiled or canned, drained
• •100 g (1 cup) sliced black olives, Turkish gemlik olives are traditional; pitted kalamata are a good substitute
• •100 g (3½ oz) sliced pickled cucumbers (cornichons), chopped; salatalık turşu is the classic Turkish pickle
• •150 g (5¼ oz) sliced Turkish sausage (sucuk), panned-fried until lightly crisp; omit or use cooked beef salami for a milder version
• •3 tbsp mayonnaise, optional but common on Istanbul carts
• •sea salt, to taste, the potatoes should be well seasoned; cheese adds saltiness so adjust at the end
• •pickled red cabbage, hot sauce, ketchup, or fresh parsley, to serve, optional extras customarily offered at street carts

Steps

1. 1 Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Scrub the potatoes and dry them well.
2. 2 Prick each potato all over with a fork. Rub lightly with a little of the butter and a pinch of salt, then place directly on the middle rack with a tray below to catch drips.
3. 3 Bake for 60–75 minutes, until the skins are crisp and a skewer slides into the centre with no resistance and the interior reaches 98°C (208°F).
4. 4 While the potatoes bake, prepare the toppings: drain the corn, slice the olives and pickles, and pan-fry the sucuk slices in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the edges crisp and the fat turns red.
5. 5 When the potatoes are done, cut each one open lengthwise. Using a fork (the traditional tool), fluff the inside while keeping the skin intact as a shell.
6. 6 Add about 20 g of butter and a generous handful of grated kasar to each potato. Mash and beat vigorously with the fork until the inside becomes smooth, glossy, and elastic, adding more cheese until the mash pulls away cleanly from the skin. Season with salt to taste.
7. 7 Return the stuffed potatoes to the oven for 3–4 minutes so the cheese melts through.
8. 8 Top each potato with a spoon of mayonnaise, then arrange the corn, olives, pickles, and crispy sucuk in separate mounds on top so the colours show.
9. 9 Serve immediately on a plate or in a paper boat, with extra pickles, hot sauce, or ketchup on the side.