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Tag Archives | Turkish regional desserts

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 Turkiye. 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.

My (updated) version of Katmer here uses filo pastry sheets (you can use the fresh, paper thin Turkish yufka pastry sheets for baklava – baklavalik yufka – if you can get too) 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, easy and light dessert with with fresh fruit by the side. You can serve Katmer as part of breakfast, dessert or as a tea time treat, perfect with Turkish tea, cay.

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:
Recipe type: Turkish regional desserts
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 6 sheets of filo pastry, thawed (each sheet about 480 mm x 256 mm) or baklavalik yufka
  • 70g unsalted butter, melted
  • 200g clotted cream, orTurkish kaymak
  • 65 g. unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp white granulated or brown sugar
  • Small bowl of water with a drizzle of oil, to secure the katmer parcels
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped pistachio kernels to decorate
  • Fresh berriies to serve aside - optional
Instructions
  1. Take the filo sheets or baklavalik yufka out of the fridge 20 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 on a clean, dry surface and cover with a damp towel.
  2. Place a filo sheet near you and brush with the melted butter. Place another filo sheet on top and brush again with the melted butter.
  3. Place 4 tbsp of kaymak or clotted cream, as little dabs, in the middle of the sheet, within a 15 cm square frame. Leave a margin of about 5 cm on top and bottom of the long edges of the sheet with no filling. Sprinkle 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios and 1 tbsp sugar evenly over the cream.
  4. Fold the bottom and top part of the filo sheets over the long edge of the filling; this will secure the filling. Brush this folded pastry with melted butter too.
  5. Now fold the right side of the buttered sheet over the filling, then fold the left side over on top, to make a 15 cm square parcel. Brush the top and sides of the katmer parcel with melted butter. Also dip another brush into the water & oil mixture and brush the edges of the parcel to seal, so that the filling stays secure.
  6. Make 2 more katmer parcels this way, using 2 filo sheets at a time.
  7. Brush a large, non-stick frying pan with melted butter and place the buttered side of katmer on the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, over medium to high heat. While cooking, brush the top side of the katmer with melted butter too. Once the bottom of katmer is golden, flip the katmer over carefully using a large spatula, let the other side cook for 1- ½ minutes over medium to high heat.
  8. Place the cooked katmer on a large serving plate, and cook the remaining katmer parcels this way, brushing both sides during cooking.
  9. Slice each katmer into six pieces, sprinkle finely chopped pistachio over and serve warm, perhaps with fresh berries and tea, cay at the side.
 

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Homemade Cezerye; Caramalised Carrot Paste Delight with Nuts

Cezerye; Caramalised carrot paste with nuts

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.

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.

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:
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
  1. Place the grated carrots, ½ cup water and sugar in a wide, heavy pan.
  2. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring often. Cook this way for about 30 minutes or until all the liquid evaporated.
  3. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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”).
  7. Cover with a cling film and rest the mixture to settle for 2 hours in fridge.
  8. 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.
  9. Spread the desiccated coconut flakes on a dry surface and coat the carrot balls and squares with the flakes to coat all over.
  10. Cezerye is ready to serve. Cezerye keeps well in an air tight container for a week.
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