This week is full of shortcuts and comfort — a gozleme hack that skips the dough entirely, mum’s kafta wrapped in golden puff pastry, a lamb pasta inspired by Afghan flavours, and a leftover-schnitzel roll I look forward to almost more than the schnitzel itself. And for dessert — a buttermilk butter cake that’s been quietly in my collection since the very beginning of this blog.
A week of comfort, a few clever shortcuts, and one very reliable cake. Every recipe is linked below — let’s have a great one.
This Week’s Meal Plan
Meal 1: Roti Cheesy Spinach Gozleme
You’re going to love this one. This is my shortcut version of the Turkish classic — no dough, no proving, no waiting around. I’ve swapped traditional gozleme dough for frozen roti, which means all the golden, crispy, cheese-pull satisfaction with almost none of the effort. This one came about completely by accident — my husband usually takes over in the kitchen, but this time I found myself testing a roti idea with our favourite cheesy spinach filling while we were just hanging out together. Two hours later we were both far too full, mostly because I couldn’t stop.
👉 Get the Roti Cheesy Spinach Gozleme recipe
Meal 2: Kafta & Feta Puff Pastry Pie
Kafta has always been at the heart of how we cook. My mum’s signature kafta recipe is the one we grew up on — the one that goes on the barbecue in summer, into the oven on a weeknight, onto the stovetop when we need something quick, or into the toaster oven when it’s just a small batch for two. This pie is where that same mixture gets a completely different treatment. I’ve played with pastry and kafta before, but this version strips it right back — no potato, just kafta, feta and tomato, wrapped in puff pastry and baked until golden.
👉 Get the Kafta & Feta Puff Pastry Pie recipe
Meal 3: Lamb and Yogurt Pasta Shells
I’m always looking for ways to put a twist on traditional dishes — something familiar, but with flavours that truly work together. This one takes inspiration from Afghan pasta, where garlicky yogurt, dried mint and a warm ghee drizzle come together over pasta — and here it’s given a hearty lamb mince sauce for extra richness. Layered with creamy garlic yogurt at the base, spiced lamb and pasta in the middle, and finished with golden pine nuts and mint. A pasta night with a genuine twist.
👉 Get the Lamb and Yogurt Pasta Shells recipe
Meal 4: Chicken Schnitzel Roll
This is what I make with leftover schnitzel, and it’s become one of those meals I look forward to almost more than the schnitzel itself. A toasted roll loaded with crispy schnitzel, a spoonful of rosé sauce, soft buffalo cheese and a drizzle of pesto — that’s really all there is to it, and it’s exactly why I make it so often. Every element already lives on the site, so pull it together with things you’ve made ahead, or lean on a few good store-bought shortcuts when you’re short on time.
👉 Get the Chicken Schnitzel Roll recipe
Dessert: Classic Buttermilk Butter Cake
When I first started my food blogging journey, so many old recipes were shared with me by friends and family. This one came from a friend’s mum in the UK, and it’s stayed with me ever since — simple, reliable, and one of those recipes you come back to again and again. This kind of cake feels universal to me. I grew up eating something just like it — mum simply called it “cake.” Hers was always vanilla, made with milk rather than buttermilk. Soft, no-fuss, and exactly the kind of tea cake you’ll want to bake again and again.
👉 Get the Classic Buttermilk Butter Cake recipe
A week of shortcuts, comfort and one very reliable cake.
I hope this makes your week in the kitchen feel a little easier — and a lot more delicious. Tell me which one you’re making first! 🤍
