Tag Archives | Turkish regional desserts

Katmer; Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachio and clotted cream

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

5.0 from 1 reviews

Katmer; Turkish crunchy pancakes with pistachio 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. It is delicious as part of breakfast, tea time treat or a light dessert with fresh fruit aside.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish regional desserts

Cuisine: Turkish

Serves: 4

Ingredients

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)

Instructions

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.

Homemade Cezerye; Caramalised Carrot Paste Delight with Nuts

By Ozlem Warren on April 28, 2014 in Cakes and Desserts, Regional Signature Dishes; Mains, Sides and Desserts 35

Cezerye; Caramalised carrot paste with nuts

Have you ever tried the delicious Cezerye dessert? A specialty from Mersin region at southern Turkey, Cezerye is a delicious confectionery made of carrots, nuts and sugar, coated with desiccated coconut flakes. They are utterly delicious, healthy and also known to be an aphrodisiac.

Spread the cooked carrot & nut paste evenly and tightly, making sure they stay intact.

With my roots going back to southern Turkey, Antakya, I grew up sampling the very best Cezerye from the nearby Mersin region. Such a delicious and healthy snack, it was always available whenever we wanted some for a treat, therefore I haven’t really thought of making them when I was home. But living abroad and not having an access to these scrumptious treats make you brave enough to have a go at them, like making homemade Turkish Delights. I am delighted to report you that compared to making Turkish Delights, Cezerye is so much easier to make, lighter and equally delicious. They are traditionally made with hazelnuts; I used walnuts for my Cezerye recipe and they were delicious. My children absolutely loved them!

I am passionate about healthy, delicious Turkish cuisine, and wholesome desserts like this Cezerye; over 90 authentic Turkish recipes are included at my cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, Recipes from My Homeland. Signed copies are available at this link, if interested, and delivered worldwide.

Cezerye; delicious carrot paste with walnuts from Mersin, Turkey.

Carrots have never been sweeter; hope you can have a go and treat yourself, family and friends with these delicious carrot delights. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.

Afiyet Olsun,

Ozlem

4.9 from 8 reviews

Homemade Cezerye; Caramalised Carrot Paste Delight with Nuts

A delicious and healthy caramalised carrot paste & walnuts dessert from Mersin, Turkey. I hope you can have a go and treat yourself, family and friends with these delicious carrot delights. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.

Author: Ozlem Warren

Recipe type: Turkish desserts

Cuisine: Turkish Cuisine

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 medium to large carrots (app. 400 gr), cleaned and grated
200 gr / 7 oz. / 1 cup white sugar (or 1¼ cup brown sugar)
50 gr / 2 oz. walnuts, chopped into small pieces
8 fl. oz./1 cup water
50 gr/ 2 oz./1/3 cup desiccated coconut flakes to decorate
Bowl of water to shape cezerye squares or balls

Instructions

Place the grated carrots, ½ cup water and sugar in a wide, heavy pan.
Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring often. Cook this way for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid evaporated.
Stir in the rest of the ½ cup water and cook again on medium heat, stirring continuously (carrots also release their own juice, therefore I prefer to add the liquid a step at a time so that the carrots won’t become mushy).
Cook the carrots until all the juice evaporated and they are softened, this should take another 30 minutes. Using your stirring spoon, mash the cooked carrots to turn into a thick, chunky paste. At this point, they should also thicken, start to caramalise and get sticky (you can take a little bit between your fingers to test whether it sticks or not). Turn the heat off.
Stir in the chopped walnuts to the carrot paste and mix well. Again using your stirring spoon, blend them all well and turn into a thick paste.
Cover a small rectangular dish or tray with parchment paper. Spread the carrot paste evenly and tightly, making sure they stay intact, with a height of 1,5 cm (0.6”).
Cover with a cling film and rest the mixture to settle for 2 hours in fridge.
After 2 hours, start shaping the carrot paste. Have a bowl of water near you. Wet your hands, take a dessert spoonful and shape into small round balls. Or wet your knife and cut into small squares.
Spread the desiccated coconut flakes on a dry surface and coat the carrot balls and squares with the flakes to coat all over.
Cezerye is ready to serve. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.