"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
Forty layers of hand-rolled yufka dough (each stretched until a newspaper is readable through it), filled with raw Gaziantep pistachios, baked golden and soaked in a sugar syrup at the exact moment it exits the oven. Gaziantep baklava holds EU Protected Geographical Status.
Gaziantep's pistachios are smaller, greener and more intensely flavoured than any other variety. The baklava's colour (vivid green interior) is entirely from the nut — no colouring is added.
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.
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.
