Torly
Vegetables cut large and roasted together in a tomato sauce until everything is soft enough to eat with a spoon. Lent food, and one of the best vegetarian dishes in the cuisine.
Photograph credit: Τουρλού λαχανικά στο φούρνο - Tourlou vegetables in the oven by topsyntages.gr · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Photograph credit: Τουρλού λαχανικά στο φούρνο - Tourlou vegetables in the oven by topsyntages.gr · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Method
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Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F.
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Toss all the vegetables with the oil and 1.5 tsp salt and spread across two large trays so nothing is crowded.
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Roast 25 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges and half cooked.
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Whisk the tomatoes, purée, garlic, ground coriander, cumin, salt and water together.
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Tip all the roasted vegetables into one deep dish and pour the sauce over.
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Lower the oven to 190°C / 375°F and bake 45 minutes, until everything is completely tender and the sauce has thickened around it.
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Rest 10 minutes, then scatter with fresh coriander and serve with lemon and bread.
Chef’s Tips
- Roast first, sauce second. Otherwise it is a boiled stew.
- Cut everything large so the pieces survive.
- Two trays for the roasting — crowding steams them.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Pairing Suggestions
- Aish baladi
- Plain rice
- Egyptian tahina
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerated for 4 days and better on day two. It freezes for 3 months.
Common questions
How long does Torly take to make?
About 1 hour 35 minutes in total — 25 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 10 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Torly?
Roast first, sauce second. Otherwise it is a boiled stew. Cut everything large so the pieces survive. Two trays for the roasting — crowding steams them.
What should I serve with Torly?
Aish baladi; Plain rice; Egyptian tahina.
Can Torly be made ahead or frozen?
Refrigerated for 4 days and better on day two. It freezes for 3 months.
Is Torly suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Torly?
About 210 kcal per serving, with 5 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate and 11 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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