Vakfıkebir Bread (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
İstanbul's Flourishing Breadscape
Famous Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi describes no less than 46 types of bread in İstanbul in the 17th century alone.
Dozens of varieties of bread are still made at home or in traditional bakeries with varying ratios of wheat, corn flour, bran, and rye, as well as additional ingredients for flavoring.
Tepsi kebap with pide (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Bread's Versatile Role in Turkish Cuisine
While kebaps are often accompanied by lavash or flatbread, soups are commonly served with generous portions of bread, baked in stone ovens.
Adana kebap with lavash bread (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Adana kebap with lavash bread
Şanlıurfa liver kebap with lavash bread (2023-01-01) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Şanlıurfa liver kebap with lavash bread
Tandır kebap with Turkish pide bread (Tırnak Pide) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Tandır kebap with Turkish pide bread
(Tırnak Pide)
Balık ekmek (Fish sandwiches) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Turkish Street Food Delights
Türkiye's expansive street food culture meanwhile commonly utilizes loaf bread as base for serving grilled meats, köfte, or famous fish sandwiches for a quick meal on the go.
Simit, sesame covered bread rolls (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Simit: A Meal on Its Own
Simit is synonymous with the streetscape itself. Sellers occupy street corners and the aroma of simit floats in the town air all hours of the day.
Simit, sesame covered bread rolls (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Simit
Simit & Turkish Tea
Simit baker in Turkish bakery (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Simit rings are coated in sesame and dipped in molasses before being baked for a crispy, brown finish.
Ramadan pide (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Pide: A Month-Long Feast
Ramadan pide is famous for its flat-sliced shape, crispy top, and soft fluffy texture.
On Ramadan evenings, streets become busy at sun-down with shoppers visiting neighbourhood bakeries to buy hot bread for the iftar table.
Yufka, thin layers of dough (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Homemade Breads
Many varieties of bread, are made in the family kitchen. The dough is combined with fresh herbs and vegetables, meats, and nuts to create the perfect home meal, whether baked, toasted, or pan-fried.
Yufka, thin layers of dough (2023-01-01) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Yufka: A Winter Wonder
Yufka is the most common of all homemade bread. A rustic dough is made while the sun shines, by kneading flour, water, and salt then rolled into very thin layers and cooked on a thin, round hot plate called a "sac" for fast preparation.
Cooking yufka over fire (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Right across Anatolia, women still gather together to make yufka for households to last through the cozy winter months. Wintertime yufka is often cooked more slowly at lower temperatures to help it last longer.
Lavash (Yufka) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Yufka is dried and stacked for a long shelf-life and is then softened in a damp cloth prior to eating. This special bread can then be served alongside winter stews and pickles or used for making deliciously-filled wrapped pastries called “börek.”
Afyonkarahisar potato bread (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Breads with Breadth
Home-breads are enriched by adding seasonal fresh ingredients in different regions. Ottomans prepared doughs with anise, fennel, sesame seeds, and black cumin.
Pide with eggs (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Herbs, sultanas, nuts, and even fish are used, indicating the richness and diversity of provincial food.
Hamsikoli (Anchovy bread) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Hamsikoli: The Sun Brings Sardines
Anchovy bread is one of the tastiest and most nutritious you can try.
Hamsikoli (Anchovy bread) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
Anchovy cornbread with mint, leeks, and chard is a simple delight.
