Pastry Culture of Turkey

Turkish cuisine is one of the world's most delicious and diverse cuisines, and Turkish people are renowned to be culinary lovers. Diversity and the full flavor make Turkish cuisine worldwide from its rich history, and each region in the country today praises its specialties.

One of the most consumed foods in Turkey is pastries. Whether it be savory delicacies or sweets, dough-based foods get enjoyed in every part of the country. Let’s take a look at some iconic Turkish pastries.

Pogaca

Pogaca is a traditional savory pastry in Turkey. Pogaca comes in a variety of fillings, including feta, cheddar cheese, potatoes, and olives. It's feasible to discover it without any filling as well. Every pogaca recipe is unique to its cook. In pastry shops, they might be large or tiny in size. These are the primary items of all pastry shops and bakeries. People stop by these establishments early in the morning on their way to work since pogaca and simit are the finest breakfast options for those in a hurry. Students can buy them at school canteens if they can't have breakfast at home, so they have simit or pogaca with a cup of tea as a quick breakfast before class.

Borek

Borek is a traditional food that probably originated in East Europe and came to Turkey with the Ottomans. Yufka is an extremely thin pastry dough that is used to make it. Fillings such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potato are stacked on a big flat pan with this filo-like dough. It's covered with a yogurt and egg combination, which helps the crust crisp up during baking. Borek comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, including “sigara boregi,” a tiny, deep-fried roll with cheese inside. There's also "su boregi," which is just yufka baked with additional yogurt to keep it soft and moist. This flexible meal, which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, is commonly accessible in Turkey and Eastern Europe and may be used as an inexpensive and filling breakfast or snack.

Baklava

Baklava is a sweet, creamy pastry dish with a flaky texture and a sweet, rich flavor. Filo pastry is used to make this layered pastry delicacy, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of Ottoman cuisine's most beloved sweet pastries.

Katmer

Katmer is another delicious delicacy from the Turkish city of Gaziantep. Pistachios and clotted cream are mixed into a crunchy phyllo dough treat. Locals of Gaziantep begin their day with this dessert. Pistachio nuts improve energy levels and minimize morning tiredness. Therefore, they choose to consume them for breakfast. In Gaziantep city, there are a few tiny shops that solely offer Katmer for breakfast.

Kunefe

Kunefe, a specialty of the Antakya area, gets made comprised of two layers of crisp kadayif (shredded pastry) sandwiched between two layers of melted cheese and soaked in sugar syrup. It's one of the greatest pastry sweets available at Turkish restaurants that serve grilled meats and kebabs.