"Gaziantep's baklava has EU geographical protection, the pistachios, the 40-layer yufka and the syrup timing are all specific to one city."
About Baklava
Gaziantep's most precious export and the world's most debated pastry: 40 layers of hand-rolled yufka dough (each stretched until a newspaper can be read through it), layered with raw pistachios from Gaziantep's orchards, baked until golden and soaked in a sugar syrup at precisely the moment it exits the oven; the ratio of syrup to nut to pastry is each baklava master's jealously held secret; Gaziantep baklava holds EU Protected Geographical Status.
Baklava, a staple of Turkey's cuisine
Gaziantep's Pastry
The southern Turkish city of Gaziantep is famous for its baklava, made from many layers of hand-rolled yufka pastry, each stretched paper-thin, filled with local pistachios, baked golden and soaked in sugar syrup. Gaziantep baklava holds protected status, recognition of a craft perfected in one place. It is widely held to be among the finest baklava anywhere.
The Pistachio
The city's pistachios are the key: smaller, greener and more intensely flavoured than most, and grown in the surrounding region. The vivid green of the filling comes entirely from the nut, with no colouring added. That distinctive pistachio is so central that it is treated as the soul of the pastry.
The Yufka and Syrup
The pastry is the other half of the craft. Dozens of sheets of yufka are rolled out by hand until almost transparent, layered with butter and pistachio, and baked until crisp. The timing of the syrup is critical: it is poured at the exact moment the baklava leaves the oven, soaking every layer without turning it soggy. Getting that moment right takes long experience.
A City's Specialty
Gaziantep baklava is the argument for how a single city can produce the world's best version of a dish, through its pistachio terroir and family bakeries that have made it for generations. It is best eaten within a day of baking, before it draws moisture from the air. Crisp, green and fragrant, it is the pride of the Turkish southeast.
What to Expect
The baklava arrives at room temperature, the pistachio interior vivid green against the golden pastry. The syrup has soaked every layer without making it soggy. The first bite shatters slightly.
Why Try It
Gaziantep baklava is the argument for why a single city can produce the world's best version of a dish, the pistachio terroir and the family bakeries that have made it for generations.
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Insider Tips
Imam Çağdaş and Güllüoğlu in Gaziantep are the two most celebrated bakeries.
Eat within 24 hours of purchase, baklava absorbs moisture from the air and deteriorates.
The green colour inside is from pistachios. It should be vivid, not pale.
