Turkish cuisine is renowned worldwide, and for good reason. It is a colourful and diverse cuisine, influenced by the country's rich history and cultural mosaic.
While the Turks are known for their delicious kebabs, there is so much more to discover beyond this popular dish. Turkish food relies on tasty fresh ingredients, carefully rolled, kneaded, shaped, and cooked to perfection with dedication and passion.
So, do Turkish people bake? The answer is yes! From pastries to flatbreads, there is a wide variety of baked goods in Turkish cuisine.
Let's take a closer look at some of the delicious baked treats that Turkey has to offer. Turkish breakfast is a ceremony in itself, and it often includes bazlama, a type of leavened bread with a circular shape. Yufka, or phyllo bread, is another staple, used in dishes like börek and served with various fillings. Pide, or pita bread, is a type of flatbread common in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines. Lavas, a thicker bread than yufka, is used for wraps. Somun, a fluffy loaf bread, is another staple in Anatolian cuisine.
When it comes to pastries, Turkey has a wide variety to offer. Su Böreği, for example, is a savoury pastry made by layering sheets of yufka dough and filling it with white cheese. Gözleme is another traditional pastry, often stuffed with salty white cheese, minced beef, or spinach. Baklava, of course, is one of Turkey's most famous sweet treats, made with layers of filo filled with ground nuts and syrup.
So, whether it's bread, pastries, or desserts, baking plays a significant role in Turkish cuisine, contributing to the richness and diversity of this beloved culinary tradition.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Bread | "Ekmek" |
Bread consumption | 199.6 kg (440 lb) per person per year |
Bread types | Bazlama Ekmek, Yufka Ekmek, Misir Ekmegi, Pide, Lavas, Somun Ekmek |
Bread history | Nomadic Turks have been consuming bread for millennia |
Bread in culture | "Ekmek parasi" ("bread money") is the phrase used for the money one lives off of |
Bread sellers | Government-regulated dealers, with the price determined by the state |
Flatbreads | Used commonly amongst central Anatolian Turkic tribes |
Bread thickness | Critical difference maker |
Bread ingredients | Wheat, barley, corn, different flours, different seeds |
Bread uses | Stuffed, used as pastries, used as loaves |
Baking | Not common |
What You'll Learn
Bread
There are many different types of Turkish bread, including flatbreads, and each region has its own unique recipes, which are passed down from generation to generation. The most popular type of bread consumed in Turkey is "somun ekmek" or "francala", an airy, oblong-shaped loaf of white flour bread. Other varieties include "Trabzon" or "tava ekmeği", a sourdough bread, "çavdar", a rye loaf, and "mısır ekmeği", a cornbread.
Turkish flatbreads can be divided into two types: pide and lavaş. Pide is a thick, leavened flatbread, often covered with cheese and meat toppings, similar to a sauceless pizza. Lavaş is also widely available in Turkey and is prepared with or without yeast. It can be baked in a tandoori oven or on a "sac", a circular iron plate used by the rural population to make bread.
Turkish bread is often baked in wood-fired brick ovens, and there is a strong emphasis on freshness, with bakeries producing fresh bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
A simple recipe for Turkish bread includes flour, water, salt, and yeast. The dough is shaped into a ball and left to rise before being baked in the oven.
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Meat
Turkish cuisine is heavily influenced by its rich history, incorporating elements from Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, as well as neighbouring regions such as the Mediterranean, Balkans, Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. The Turks' migration from Central Asia to Anatolia also plays a significant role in shaping their culinary culture.
Köfte and Kebabs
Two common categories of meat dishes in Turkey are köfte (meatballs) and kebabs (roasted meats). There are hundreds of varieties of meatballs in Turkey, with different regions offering unique recipes. For example, Inegol kofte from Bursa is made with ground beef or lamb, breadcrumbs and onions, while köfte from other regions may include fillings like grains and vegetables.
Kebabs are equally diverse, with almost every city having its own style. They can be cooked on skewers over an open flame or prepared in pots without water. Some popular types include:
- Adana kebab: minced meat on a flat, wide metal skewer
- Iskender kebab: doner kebab topped with hot tomato sauce, pita bread, melted butter and yoghurt
- Cag kebab: cubes of lamb marinated for half a day, then roasted on a horizontal rotating spit and cooked over a wood fire
- Testi kebab: meat and vegetables cooked in a sealed clay pot that needs to be broken open before eating
Other Meat Dishes
In addition to meatballs and kebabs, Turks enjoy a variety of other meat dishes:
- Doner kebab: compressed lamb and beef combination grilled slowly on a vertical rotisserie
- Beyti kebab: ground lamb or beef grilled on a skewer, often served wrapped in lavash with tomato sauce and yoghurt
- Karniyarik: large eggplant stuffed with ground beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes and green peppers, then baked in the oven
- Kizartma: deep-fried vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, green peppers) served with yoghurt sauce
- Lahana sarmasi: rolled white cabbage stuffed with onions and rice, sometimes with minced beef
- Kapuska: thin sliced white cabbage cooked with onions and tomato sauce, sometimes with minced beef or lamb
- Ispanak yemegi: onions, spinach and rice cooked with tomato sauce, typically eaten with garlic yoghurt
- Türlü: a vegetable stew with eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes and onion
- Zeytinyağlı biber dolması: stuffed bell peppers
- Kabak oturtma: zucchini roasted with beef or lamb mince
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Fish
Turkish people love their fish, and there are many ways to enjoy it. Here are some popular fish dishes and cooking methods:
- Street Food: Fish sandwiches or plates of fish with salad, bread, and lemon are common and budget-friendly options. Balik ekmek, grilled fish served with vegetables in bread, is a popular choice in coastal areas, especially Istanbul.
- Restaurant Meals: In the evening, serious fish enthusiasts head to specialised fish restaurants. Whole fish, often cooked in sea salt, is placed in the centre of the table. Sides typically include salad, bread, and potatoes. Grilling is a favoured cooking method as it preserves the juices and tenderness of the fish.
- Oven-Baked: Fish is also commonly baked in the oven. One popular dish is Fish Pilaki (Fırında Balık Pilâki), which involves baking fish fillets with vegetables, lemon juice, and spices. Another example is Za'atar Baked Fish, where fish pieces are marinated with turmeric, lemon juice, and salt, then baked with a mixture of za'atar spice blend and olive oil.
- Meze: Mezes are appetisers or starters and often include seafood. Crispy Calamari, Octopus Salad (Ahtapot Salatasi), and Garlic Shrimp in Butter or Chilli are popular choices.
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Vegetables
Turkish cuisine is known for its variety, richness, and colour, influenced by its history and location. It is not uncommon for Turks to eat vegetables, which are cooked in many ways, including meatless dishes, boiled, fried, and roasted.
Meatless Vegetable Dishes
Boiled Vegetables
Boiled vegetables are usually served with a garlic yoghurt or tomato sauce.
Fried Vegetables
Fried vegetables are typically served with a garlic yoghurt sauce.
Roasted Vegetables
Roasted vegetables are often cooked with meat for added protein.
Popular Turkish Vegetable Dishes
- Karniyarik: Large aubergine/eggplant stuffed with ground beef, chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, and green peppers, and cooked in the oven.
- Kizartma: Deep-fried vegetables (usually aubergine/eggplant, courgettes/zucchini, potatoes, and green peppers) served with a yoghurt sauce.
- Mücver: Grated courgettes/zucchini mixed with egg and flour and deep-fried.
- Lahana sarmasi: Rolled white cabbage, stuffed with onions and rice, and sometimes minced beef.
- Kapuska: Thinly sliced white cabbage cooked with onions and tomato sauce, and sometimes with minced beef or lamb.
- Ispanak yemegi: Onions, spinach, and rice cooked with tomato sauce (tomato paste). Usually eaten with garlic yoghurt.
- Türlü: A vegetable dish made with aubergine/eggplant, courgettes/zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, and onion.
- Zeytinyağlı biber dolması: Stuffed bell peppers.
- Kabak oturtma: Courgettes/zucchini roasted with beef or lamb mince.
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Desserts
Turkish cuisine offers a wide range of desserts, from light and refreshing to rich and decadent. Here is a detailed list of some of the most famous Turkish desserts:
Baklava:
This is arguably the most famous Turkish dessert, consisting of flaky layers of phyllo dough filled with ground pistachios, walnuts, or almonds and soaked in honey-like sugar syrup infused with lemon. It is often served with a blob of ice cream.
Kunefe (Knafeh):
This dessert is made with thin layers of shredded phyllo dough or kadayıf (shredded wheat) filled with sweet cheese and topped with sugar syrup or honey. It is a popular treat in the Arab world and the Turkish version originates from the Hatay region bordering Syria.
Lokum (Turkish Delight):
Lokum, or Turkish Delight, is a jelly-like confection made from starch and sugar syrup, often flavoured with rosewater or lemon. It is a traditional Turkish treat that has inspired artists and literature, including C.S. Lewis's 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe'.
Turkish Ice Cream (Dondurma):
Dondurma is a unique Turkish ice cream made from salep, giving it a distinct texture and flavour. It comes in various flavours, including classic vanilla, pistachio, and rosewater, and is often served with chopped nuts and dried fruits.
Turkish Pumpkin Dessert (Kabak Tatlısı):
A seasonal autumnal treat, this dessert combines mashed pumpkin, milk, sugar, and spices to create a creamy, custard-like texture. It is often served with raisins and nuts, adding flavour and crunch.
Turkish Rice Pudding (Fırında Sutlac/Sütlaç):
A comforting dessert, Fırında Sutlac is a baked rice pudding that undergoes the Maillard reaction, resulting in a caramel-coloured, sweeter version of the traditional rice pudding. It is typically served cold but can also be enjoyed warm.
Turkish Tulumba Tatlısı:
Tulumba is a deep-fried dough dessert in an elongated shape, soaked in sweet syrup. It has a crunchy exterior and a soft, syrupy centre. It is a popular street food and is often sold alongside lokma, a ball-shaped version of the same dessert.
Bici Bici:
A refreshing dessert from the southeast of Turkey, Bici Bici is a milk-based corn starch base topped with crushed ice and rosewater.
Semolina Cake (Revani):
This fragrant, orange-scented, syrup-soaked semolina cake is highly respected in Middle Eastern, Greek, and Albanian pastry cultures. It is said that you cannot be considered a pastry chef in these regions without mastering this dessert.
Tavukgöğsü (Chicken Pudding):
Tavukgöğsü is a unique milk-based pudding containing cooked chicken, milk, sugar, and spices, resulting in a custard-like texture. It is a signature dish in Turkey and was once served to sultans in the Roman Empire.
These are just a few examples of the diverse and delectable desserts that Turkish culture has to offer. Each dessert combines flavours and textures in unique ways, creating a sensory experience that delights both locals and visitors alike.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, bread is a staple of Turkish cuisine and is eaten at almost every meal. There are many different types of bread in Turkey, including bazlama ekmek, yufka ekmek, pide, and lavas.
While cakes are not as common in Turkey as they are in some other countries, they do exist in Turkish cuisine. For example, revani is a cake made with semolina flour.
Yes, Turkish cuisine includes a variety of baked pastries such as börek, gözleme, and baklava.