Easy Shish Barak with Tortellini

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the frozen tortellini and boil according to packet instructions usually between 10–15 minutes, until cooked. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, whisk together the yogurt, plain flour and cornflour until smooth. Add the water, stirring continuously. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring constantly so the yogurt doesn't separate. Once it's boiling, you can stop stirring and reduce the heat.

Add the cooked tortellini to the yogurt sauce. Simmer gently for approximately 10–15 minutes, until the tortellini are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir occasionally so the tortellini don't stick to the bottom of the pot.

In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil or ghee and sauté the crushed garlic until golden and fragrant. Pour the fried garlic over the shish-barak and season with salt to taste. Finish with the fresh chopped coriander.

Garnish with toased pine nuts - optional

A FEW THINGS YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW

Why do I need to keep stirring the yogurt sauce?
Yogurt can split when it heats up, which leaves the sauce grainy and watery instead of smooth and creamy. Stirring constantly as it comes to the boil helps it stay silky. That's how I grew up making it, and it's how my mum and I still make it today. If you'd rather not stir the whole time, bring it to the boil slowly over a medium to low heat, but be aware it may still curdle if it's left alone. There is a trick if that happens: whiz the sauce with a hand blender and it will come back together. I've done it before and it works. That said, I play it safe every time and just keep stirring, because it really doesn't take long.

What are the flour and cornflour for?
They help stabilise the yogurt so it holds together as it cooks, and they give the sauce a little body. You only need a small amount of each.

Is this recipe gluten-free?
No. Tortellini are made with wheat pasta. If you need a gluten-free option, my Shish Barak with Lentils gives you the same garlic yogurt sauce and coriander, with lentils instead of dumplings.

Do I have to fry the garlic?
Not at all. My mum never fried hers. She crushed it raw and stirred it straight into the yogurt, which gives a sharper, punchier garlic flavour. I prefer to sauté mine first because it mellows it out and gives a warmer, slightly sweeter taste. Both ways are right, so go with how you like your garlic.

Does it matter what yogurt I use?
It does make a difference. A thick, creamy full-fat yogurt gives the richest, most velvety sauce. A thinner yogurt still works, but it may take a little longer to thicken, so be patient and keep stirring.

What tortellini should I use?
Traditionally, shish barak dumplings are filled with red meat, so beef or lamb tortellini will give you the closest flavour to the original. If you'd like a vegetarian option, cheese and spinach tortellini work well too. The garlic yogurt sauce and coriander still carry all the flavour you know and love.

What do I serve this with?
Nowadays, I just have it on its own. If you'd like something alongside it, rice is a lovely way to soak up all that creamy yogurt sauce. Traditionally, we serve shish barak with mjadara, the Lebanese lentil and rice dish. It's quite a heavy combination, but back in the day families were big and there were lots of people to feed, so every meal had to fill everyone up. If you'd like to try it the traditional way, my Lentil Rice (Easy Mjadara) is a great place to start.