Katmer With Poppy Paste
Poppy paste is a widely used ingredient in some parts of Turkey, especially in Eskişehir and Kütahya. It's used generally in pastries. Katmer with poppy paste is one of the most known and loved one of them. You can see katmer also in Gaziantep kitchen in a different form. It's basically baklava filled with kaymak (Turkish clotted cream) and lots and lots of pistachios. But it's a different story.
Katmer with poppy paste is a matter of debate between some people who can't decide if it's savory or sugary. Actually it's both not savory or sugary, it's just delicious.
Poppy paste, which is acquired by grounding yellow poppy seeds, itself is not savory or sugary or acidic. It has a sui generis flavor. Waiting it to be a dessert or savory pastry is wrong. You should accept it as the way it is.
But for some people something is either savory or sugary but for me something is either delicious or not. Many sauces in the Far East cuisine contain sugar, salt and vinegar together, for example. What emerges is neither sweet nor salty or sour; it is just delicious. So does poppy paste donuts and poppy paste katmer. It is neither sweet nor salty, just delicious.
You can find poppy paste in physical or online Turkish food stores by the way.
Enjoy the recipe...
Ingredients
- 3,5 cups of flour,
- 1,5 cups of lukewarm water,
- 1 teaspoon salt,
- 1 tablespoon sugar.
For the filling;
- 4 full tablespoons of poppy paste,
- 1/2 cup of oil.
Preparation
- Mix water, salt and sugar in a deep bowl,
- Add flour bit by bit, check the consistency, add as necessary and knead until you obtain a soft dough,
- Cover and rest for half an hour,
- Mix the poppy paste and oil in a separate bowl,
- Divide the dough into four pieces,
- Roll one of the pieces on the counter with a roller as thin as possible,
- Spread a quarter of the poppy paste mixture and roll,
- Roll around in roll form and roll again with the roller in a size of a plate,
- Heat a non-stick pan, put the katmer in and cook both sides until brownish.
Enjoy your meal...