Istanbul mon amour!

Last time I was in Istanbul was  in the year 2003! Ahh that city fills my heart with joy and excitement.
The city is a mixture of cultures, starting from Byzantine and Ottoman architecture to the Roman one.

Every time I think of Istanbul I think of tea, pastries, music, Turkish delight (Bakllava) and Gözleme.

Istanbul by night

That place is a home place to the very rich and the very poor, but when it comes to Turkish cuisine there is something that can satisfy everybody. And Gözleme is eaten by Everybody.

Turkish Sofra

Me and my family were hooked on  Gözleme ! Oh my sweet Lord.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and for the filling? Well, you name it! Anything that makes you happy!
I was craving  that food for years after I tried it for the first time. I have had it a few more times, for vacations in few other places in Turkey but not so long ago, we finally got the original recipe so we can prepare it at home! Yay, at my very own home! So now whenever I crave for it, well I just have to roll up my sleeves and start making it.

Here is how it looks like:

Gözleme

It makes you start eating from the screen right? 🙂

Here is the magic behind it.
For the dough:
1 cup flour

1/2 spring water

1 tablespoon salt

Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly add water while kneading it. Then put the dough in a floured space and continue to knead about 10-15 minutes until it is kneaded well and the dough is soft. Cover the dough with kitchen towel and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough in four pieces. Roll each piece in a diameter of 25 cm or of the same size your cooking pan is. Spread your favorite filling equally in the middle of the dough and fold the dough in half ( hint: from a circular shape to a half circle shape ). Press the edges with a fork to seal the dough.
Heat a non stick pan , in medium heat. Place the dough on the pan and wait around 2-3 minutes ( it depends ) or until brown dots appear in the dough. Flip the dough on the other side and do the same.

Brush with melted butter immediately and serve warm, or cold , or medium, or whatever! They are tasty anytime 🙂

Some famous fillings are:

Spinach and Feta Cheese

Spinach and Feta and Minced meat

Spinach and Feta and Egg

Seafood

Egg

Minced Meat

Cheese

Potatoes

Mushrooms

They are delicious and they always grasp attention when I prepare them. I am so famous with family and friends, because they all have memories from vacations in Turkey, visits to family, and they are so happy to being able to awaken those moments at home.
I am sooo looking forward to my next visit of  Istanbul, to discover something new.

I suggest you have a Turkish tea and delight for dessert. Enjoy 🙂

Turkish Tea and Turkish Delight

Have you ever had Gözleme? Or visited Istanbul?