Katmer; Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachios and clotted cream
This delicious and easy to make Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachios and clotted cream, Katmer, hails from Gaziantep, one of the must visit gastronomic regions in Turkey. The crunchy, flaky Katmer is traditionally the first meal eaten by the bride and groom after their wedding night in Gaziantep. It tastes absolutely heavenly with Gaziantep’s world famous pistachios and the thick Turkish clotted cream, kaymak.
Place little dabs of the clotted cream, mascarpone cheese or Turkish kaymak, all around the filo sheet.
My version of Katmer here uses filo pastry sheets (you can use the fresh, paper thin Turkish yufka pastry sheets in Turkey) and thick clotted cream instead of kaymak, as it is not easy to find kaymak abroad (mascarpone cheese also gave good results). The substitution worked well in Katmer and made a lovely, light dessert with with fresh fruit by the side. You can serve Katmer as part of breakfast, dessert or as a tea time treat.
Katmer, Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachios and clotted cream, a specialty of Gaziantep.
I hope you enjoy Katmer, Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem
- 4 sheets of filo pastry, thawed (each sheet about 30 cm x 27 cm – 11 in x 12 in)
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 55 gr / 2 oz. clotted cream, Turkish kaymak or mascarpone cheese
- 60 gr / 4 tbsp. finely crushed, unsalted pistachios
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp. sugar (brown sugar works well too)
- Honey and fresh fruit to serve (optional)
- Take the filo sheets out of the fridge 30 minutes prior using to bring to room temperature. If filo sheets are frozen, it is best to thaw in the fridge overnight and take out 1 hour prior using to bring to room temperature. Alternatively, you can take out the frozen filo sheets 2 hours prior using to bring to room temperature.
- Place two filo sheets on top of another on a dry surface (keep the rest of the filo sheets under damp towel so that they won’t dry out).
- Leave a margin of about 4 cm (1.5 in) around the edges and place little dabs of the clotted cream, mascarpone cheese or Turkish kaymak, all around the filo sheet.
- Sprinkle the finely crushed pistachios and sugar evenly over the cream.
- Place the remaining 2 filo sheets on top. Brush the edges of the top filo sheet with 1 tbsp. of melted butter. Wet your hands and fold over each side of the pasty (about 2 cm / 1 in) to make a parcel. Seal the edges with your wet hands and the brushed melted butter.
- Coat the remaining 1 tbsp. melted butter around a large, non-stick frying pan, over medium heat.
- Place the filo parcel into the pan (with the wrapped edges down) and cook for 2 minutes, as it will get golden.
- Turn the pancake over gently (large spatulas help) and cook for another 1,5 minutes or until golden.
- Serve katmer warm, drizzled with a little honey (if you wish) and crushed pistachios over. Bowl of fresh fruit aside complements katmer beautifully too.
Lovely looking, simple and delicious. Love the idea of these as a dessert. Must be a bit messy to eat unless you’re careful – I’m rarely careful.
Many thanks for stopping by Phil, they really are easy to make and delicious – it is also a popular street food at home so it is quite casual with eating and a little flaky, but so lovely : ) Hope you enjoy it, Ozlem
Özlem’ciğim, As Phil says, this sounds like a very simple and yummy dish. Question: If using yufka, is just one sheet more or less equivalent to two sheets of filo? They sell it in big rounds at our Friday market which I usually buy if making börek but I have to confess that I haven’t had the courage to make baklava or other deserts but this seems so simple, I’m tempted! (And I looove kaymak!) Kendine iyi bak ve ailene selamlar ve sevgilerimizle, xoxo J
Merhaba Jolee’cigim, thank you for your lovely note – yes, if you are using yufka, one round yufka sheet would be suffice, as they are so big, a bit like making the gozleme with yufka, wrapping like an envelope. I hope you enjoy this easy, delicious treat with that gorgeous kaymak; cok selam ve sevgilerimle, Ozlem xoxo
A perfect dessert for the season, Ozlem. Just a tray of these crisp creamy treats would liven up a party:) great recipe. xxPeri.
Thank you dear Peri, it is a lovely treat for the festive season too, you are right : ) Many thanks for your kind note, Ozlem xx
. . what are you doing to me? You know I can’t eat this stuff! Oh, alright then, just one more piece!
It is indeed a treat Alan, and my version is lighter : ) Just one more piece and make sure you eat all that wonderful seasonal produce in Okcular too 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by, Selam ve Sevgiler, Ozlem
I cheat a bit and put a single sheet of film on the bottom of a buttered waffle iron or machine, add ingredients and put another sheet on top with a bit of butter and put the lid down. As long and there isn’t too much filing, it’s a less fiddly operation. I’ve had cream all over my shoes a couple of times so I know now not to press to hard on the lid.
Waffle iron is a good idea Back to Bodrum, thanks for the tip – do you make it with yufka or filo? I would have loved to have yufka, as it is much more managable; still, we enjoyed with filo too. Sevgiler, Ozlem x
When do you cut it, before you put it in the pan or after?
Merhaba, I cut after cooking, afiyet olsun, Ozlem
Hi. Im from south africa. Can i use a cultured cream too?
Merhaba, I haven’t worked with cultured cream, as long as it is quite firm, you can use it, hope you enjoy it, Afiyet Olsun, Ozlem