Antep Baklava

Antep Baklava

The most famous Turkish dessert

is baklava. The nomadic peoples

of Central Asia are known to

have cooked thin layers of pastry

on a hot plate and served them

layered on top of each other.

Today, this proto-baklava has

metamorphosed into a refined

and delicious dessert. Two

varieties of ‘yufka’ pastry are

prepared in Turkey: a thick

dough used to make savory

‘börek’ and a wafer thin dough

for baklava. Gaziantep baklava

is renowned not only for its

exceptional flavor but also for

the extraordinary thinness of its

translucent pastry.

Although every baklava maker

has their own secret

measurements, the basic

preparation is the same. Dough

is prepared using flour, eggs, salt

and starch, and rolled out into a

thin pastry. 12-14 layers of

pastry are placed on a greased

pan, interspersed with layers of

plain butter. Clotted cream made

with semolina and milk is spread

evenly over the entire surface.

Ground unripe ‘boz’ pistachios

are sprinkled over the top.

Further layers of pastry are

placed on top of the filling,

again interspersed with butter.

The baklava is then cut into the

desired shape. Warm oil is

drizzled over the baklava, which

is then placed in the oven. When

the baklava is ready, the ‘şerbet’

syrup is poured over the top and

left to cool before being served.

GAZİANTEP The Late Hittite Period

The Late Hittite Period
Due to its location at the centre of the network of routes
connecting the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, the
Hittites had their eye on Gaziantep as early as the middle of
the 2nd millennium BC, and fought for control of the area
against the Assyrians and Babylonians. The region
flourished under the Hittites, and was home to major
kingdoms in the Late Hittite Era. The most important
settlements during this period were at the Zincirli Tumulus,
at Yesemek - whose workshops produced sculptures for the
entire kingdom - and at Carchemish, whose worship of the
mother goddess Kubaba spread to the rest of Anatolia and
later to the Greeks and Romans.
Yesemek
Sculpture
Workshop
Near the village of Yesemek, 23
km southeast of ‹slahiye
Yesemek was a sculpture
workshop that produced
sculptures and reliefs for all the
major Hittite cities and
fortresses. The workshop began
production under Shuppiluliuma
I, employed the local Hurrians,
and was deserted after the
Assyrian conquest. Blocks of
basalt brought from the quarries
were roughly carved into
sculptures. In order to avoid
damage during transportation,
the fine detail work was not done
at Yesemek, but at the final
destination. One such sculpture
that was begun in Yesemek and
then completed at its destination
was uncovered at Zincirli.
Visitors can see how the quarry
operated and which techniques
and materials were used to
create the sculptures. The openair
museum boasts over 300
rough sculptures at a variety of
stages of completion.






Other important
settlements
Zincirli Tumulus
In the Fevzipafla region of
Islahiye
The Zincirli Tumulus was an
important settlement in the Late
Hittite Period. Written sources
refer to the city as Sam’al or
Ya’idi. The population of the
kingdom consisted of a
cosmopolitan mix of Luwians,
Sami, Hurrian and Phoenicians,
while the upper classes were
Carchemish was the most
powerful of all the Late Hittite
Kingdoms. Excavations have
uncovered an outer city, inner city
and fortress arranged in a
rectangular pattern. A number of
religious structures and a
processional way featuring blocks
of stone embellished with reliefs
were found in the eastern section
of the ruins overlooking the
Euphrates. These are now on
display at the Museum of
Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara.
Sadly, the ruins of Carchemish
are closed to the public, as they
are located in a military minefield
on the Syrian border.
Aramean. Excavations have
revealed city walls, gates and the
ruins of a multistory palace.
Blocks decorated with reliefs
found here are on display at the
Museum of Anatolian
Civilizations in Ankara.
Carchemish
In the centre of the district of
Karkam›fl, on the banks of the
Euphrates on the Turkish-Syrian
border
The ancient city of Carchemish
was continuously settled for 8000
years - from the Neolithic Age to
the Late Hittite Period.

Gaziantep at a Glance

One of the oldest settlements in Anatolia, the province of Gaziantep is located at the junction of

the Mediterranean and Southeastern Anatolian regions of Turkey. Standing at the crossroads of

major north-south and east-west routes, Gaziantep has been an important destination and

settlement for thousands of years. The northern and western stretches of the province are

mountainous, while the border region consists of flat lowland plains. Gaziantep is covered in a

network of rivers and streams, the most important of which is the Euphrates. The earliest

settlement in Gaziantep is Doliche; flint tools found at the site date back to 40,000 BC.

Gaziantep was annexed by the Ottomans in 1516, and was known as Ayıntap until the

declaration of the Turkish Republic. The Grand National Assembly of Turkey awarded the city

the honorific title ‘Gazi’, meaning ‘veteran’ in recognition of its resistance against the French

occupying forces following World War I. The city was thereafter known as ‘Gaziayıntap’ until

its name was officially changed to Gaziantep in 1928. Gaziantep has experienced tremendous

industrial and commercial progress in recent years, and is now the most modern and developed

Center of trade and industry As a regional crossroads,Gaziantep is a vibrant center of trade and industry, and is a major manufacturer of Turkish exports. Indeed, Gaziantep is Turkey’s third largest exporter of textiles and foodstuffs. The city boasts three organized industrial zones covering an area of 12 square kilometers. 4% of Turkey’s major industrial companies are located in Gaziantep, and 6% of its small scaleindustries.

Modern

Gaziantep

Gaziantep is a modern city with

a swiftly growing population. It

has a wide transportation

network, including an

international airport, railways

and links to major motorways. In

addition to many institutes of

education, Gaziantep also boasts

a university and 11 hospitals.

The largest park in the city is the

100. Yıl Atatürk Kültür Parkı

that stretches 5 km along the

Alleben River.

Antep Pistachios

Antep Pistachios

Pistachios are a delicious and highly nutritious treat. The

pistachio tree produces

bunches of pink fruit. Pistachios are

used in a wide range of dishes: they can be eaten alone as an

enjoyable snack or used as an ingredient in savory or sweet

dishes. Pistachio trees need long, hot, dry summers and

comparatively cold winters to grow, and thrive in Gaziantep’s

ideal climate. Pistachio trees bear fruit biannually, with

heavier harvests in alternate years, and can measure up to six

meters tall.

Cultivation

Antep pistachio seedlings are

grafted when they are 7 or 8

years old, and begin to bear fruit

when around 10-12 years old.

Pistachio trees are long-lived,

averaging around 150 years.

Hardy plants, they can even

survive in poor, infertile soil.

They are easy to prune and need

minimal care; after the initial

pruning, only the dead branches

need to be removed. The trees

bear fruit in April, which are

harvested in August-September.

The seeds grow in bunches

known locally as ‘cumba’ or

‘comma’ and are shaken off the

trees. The stalk is then broken off

at the node where it is attached

to the branch.

‘Boz’

Pistachios

Unripe pistachios

are known locally

as ‘boz’ or ‘grey’

pistachios after the

light yellow color

of their outer

shells. The seed is

not fully grown,

and has a

distinctive flavor

and aroma.

Gaziantep baklava

derives its unique

flavor from the fact

that it is made

from ‘boz’

pistachios.

Menengiç

Wild pistachio trees are known locally as ‘menengiç’, and can be used as rootstock for Antep pistachio

cultivation. Wild pistachio trees produce lentil-sized fruits that are roasted and then ground. The grounds are

then boiled in water and drunk like coffee. Menengiç coffee is said to be good for hemorrhoids, to help clear