About Baklava

Baklava first brings the city of Antep to our minds. The original Gaziantep Baklava has been taught by the master to his apprentice, differentiating itself from the others thanks to its method of production and its taste. Its most important and distinct feature is basically the raw materials that are used in the process. On the way to baklava, first of all, flour obtained from the hard wheat raised in the waterless fields in Harran Plain is combined with the Gaziantep water. So the dough at hand is turned into 40 layered filo, each of which is thinner than a sheet of paper, with the help of dough roller unexceptionally made of pear trees, by the hand of chefs who are locals of Antep. Between these forty layers are added the following: the most precious pistachio that is harvested during the first week of August in season and that yields 110-170 grams of pistachio meat per kg, a color of emerald green with a rich aroma; clarified butter in its purest from obtained from goat and sheep milk and purified from salt and other content and prepared to include %99,9 oil and acquired from the milk of goat and sheep which are only fed by grass and flowers; local semolina and goat, sheep or cow milk boiled at 105-108C°. Later on, on top of the baklavas on the tray inside the ovens are added a special type of syrup used by Fıstıkzade baklavas which are stabilized at a boiling degree determined by the weather conditions. Baklava has numerous amount of secrets. A good baklava starts in the soil. Flour that is used to make the dough, type of the wheat and the soil where the wheat grows are important. A wide range of details including the harvest time of pistachio, feed ingredients of the animal from which milk that is soon to be turned into clarified butter is to be taken determines the taste. The baklava chef chooses the best of raw materials such as pistachio, oil, flour, sugar, starch and milk. Alongside with the ingredients, the weather conditions, humidity level in the production environment, degree of the syrup and manual labor of the chefs also play a role in the making of baklava. At every step from the starting of the process to the presentation to the customer the contribution, knowledge and experience of each staff adds value to baklava. Furthermore, the Original Antep baklava, if fresh, makes a very nice crunch sound at first bite. A crunch coming from breaking the thickest filos roasted like pomegranate one after another, just like dry leaves rustling in the wind. For baklava aficionados, this sound is almost as satisfying as the baklava itself.