The local flavours of Gaziantep + a unique pistachio dessert
Introducing dolma, pistachio salad and katmer.
This is the third in a series of traveller’s letters from a recent trip to South Eastern Turkey. If you missed them, I’ve linked to the first two letters at the bottom of this post.
The local flavours of Gaziantep
We’d seen a YouTube video of a place specialising in küşleme (grilled lamb tenderloin) that looked incredible, but – having had kebabs for lunch – we decide to explore another part of Gaziantep cuisine for dinner.
Hışvahan is an up-market establishment, set immediately below Gaziantep Castle. With chic decor and a dressed-up clientele, it’s immediately clear that this is a place to see and be seen in Gaziantep.
But we’re here to eat, not to see or be seen. Thankfully, the establishment has long since moved on from the non-descript French/European menu from a previous incarnation. Like many other upmarket places, they’ve a newfound confidence in local cuisine. I can’t wait to try a few local Antep dishes.
The service is, as ever in Turkey, friendly and efficient. Before long, our starters are on the table.
First up, dolma. Visiting Gaziantep without trying their famous dolma made with the dried vegetables we saw at the markets earlier in the day, would be a sin. These delights can be served warm or cold, usually depending on whether there’s meat in the filling or not. We choose the cold vegetarian version, filled with bulgur, rice and those quintessential local ingredients: tomato paste, red pepper paste and pomegranate molasses, as well as some herbs and spices. Delicious!
We also go for a lesser known salad of pistachio shoots. Though it looks fibrous and rubbery, it was actually smooth and juicy texture. With a pomegranate molasses dressing, this was the surprise delight of the evening.
For mains, we keep it light and share a local stew. Or is it a chunky soup? Turks would never call it that, but others might. I failed to write down its name, but similar dishes abound throughout eastern Turkey. Mini bulgur balls (no, those aren’t chickpeas!) and a little meat in a broth abundantly seasoned with tomato paste, red pepper paste and dried mint. Another winner!
I’ll definitely try to recreate a version of this, though I’ll probably substitute the laborious mini bulgur balls, which are known for taking a day to make, and a minute to eat…
An evening walk courtesy of an Instagram copycat
While I’ve no doubt the desserts would’ve been excellent, too, I’ve got two more recommendations for our final hours in Gaziantep. I can’t leave without sampling my favourite Turkish dessert in the city from which it’s become famous. According to Google Maps, Metanet Katmer, one of the recommendations, is just a short walk away. A good excuse for an evening stroll.
On our way, we have a chat with a local feeding the street cats, and walk past a lively square with a very busy liver kebab place. Clearly where a lot of the locals go! I make a note of the place for next time I’m in town.
As we arrive at our destination, the fears I’d had since checking out their Salt Bae inspired Instagram page the day before were confirmed. This isn’t the Metanet Katmer we’d been recommended. It’s a copycat, exploiting a long standing establishment’s lack of internet presence and the generally lax attitude towards copyright infringement in Turkey. The imitators are never as good as the original, so we give the place a pass.
After several more minutes of googling and checking maps, I’m still not sure where the original Metanet Katmer is. Luckily, we’ve another equally good recommendation that proves far easier to find: Orkide Pastanesi, an old-school patisserie that still prides itself on quality and traditions.
Katmer: My favourite Turkish dessert
In case you haven’t heard of katmer before, let me explain a little about this magical dessert.
Katmer was originally a baker’s treat. Something the baklava and börek makers made for themselves after a long shift of making wafer thin filo pastry for hours. With a small pinch of leftover dough, they made a sheet of fresh filo pastry so thin it’s basically transparent. On this, they put a little crushed pistachio, some kaymak (clotted cream) and sugar, before folding it, brushing it with butter and baking it gently on a hot surface.
The result is a delightfully crisp and flaky pastry with the wonderful flavours of pistachio. A treat for sure, but never too sweet or heavy.
I’ve had katmer many times before – even tried my hand at home to great success (though with shop-bought filo pastry). But the one I’m about to have at Orkide is something different altogether.
This katmer is completely green, thanks to the abundant use of ground pistachios – I dare say more than twice as much as I’ve ever seen used in Istanbul. As per tradition, it’s served with a small glass of fresh milk. A great combo if there ever was one. Better even than with American cookies, if you ask me.
The katmer is enormous, but we almost finish it. What a way to round off an eventful day.
🔜 Next week: A southwards day trip
The next two newsletters will be about the neighbouring Hatay region, where we spent our second day on this trip. The first will take you through some impressions of the day trip to the heart of the earthquake’s destruction, but also the green shoots of life that’s starting to come back. The second will focus on Hatay cuisine.
This week I’m sharing not one, but two new recipes! The first will be for all subscribers, the second for paying subscribers only.
🔜 Coming Friday for ALL SUBSCRIBERS
Katmer (Turkish pistachio pastry dessert)
Making your own fresh filo pastry is a craft that takes years to master, but the good news is you can make delicious katmer with shop-bought filo pastry, too.
This recipe will be for ALL subscribers, and will hit your inbox on Friday.
🔜 Coming Sunday for PAYING SUBSCRIBERS
Stuffed vegetables, Gaziantep style (Antep usulü kuru dolması)
Paying subscribers will receive an additional recipe on Sunday, for stuffed dried aubergines and peppers, Gaziantep style, which went down a treat with my Turkish partner.
It’ll be two recipes in one, as you’ll get two options for the stuffing – one with meat and one vegetarian (picture is vegetarian). If you can’t get dried vegetables for dolma where you live, you can use the same stuffing for fresh vegetables too.
If you’re not currently a paying subscriber but wish to support my work or receive this recipe, you can get a paid subscription for as little as a dollar a week. Paid subscriptions are completely optional, but so so appreciated.
Next week, the fourth and penultimate traveller’s letter from this trip takes you southwards to Hatay.
With all best wishes from Istanbul,
Vidar
Did you miss the previous traveller’s letters in this series?
You can always find everything on the website, and here direct links to the first two letters and recipes:
