Gaziantep (Antep) is considered the culinary capital of Turkey — a city whose cooking is defined by the finest pistachios in the world, a specific dried chilli (Antep biberi), and preparations of extraordinary technical sophistication that have been developed over centuries at the crossroads of Anatolian, Mesopotamian, and Silk Road culinary traditions. Dagdeviren dedicates substantial attention to Gaziantep — it is the cuisine he knows most deeply.
**The Antep pistachio:** - Pistacia vera grown in the specific soil and climate of the Gaziantep region — smaller than Iranian or Californian pistachios, with a higher fat content (up to 60% of dry weight), a deeper green colour, and a flavour complexity that reflects the terroir - Used in baklava, kebab, lahmacun, and dozens of savoury preparations — Antep cuisine treats pistachio as a primary ingredient, not a garnish **Antep biberi (dried red pepper):** - A specific variety of Capsicum annuum grown near Gaziantep — dried and ground to a coarse flake (pul biber) or a fine powder. Different grades for different applications: coarse for finishing; fine for pastes - Both sweet (mild, deeply coloured) and hot (more capsaicin, smokier) varieties **The baklava technique (Antep style):** - Gaziantep baklava uses fresh pistachios (un-roasted), extremely thin yufka sheets, and a specific syrup concentration - The yufka for Antep baklava is thinner than for börek — sheets through which newsprint can be read - The pistachio filling: raw, unsalted, unroasted pistachios ground to a coarse powder — their green colour and fresh, grassy character define the preparation - [VERIFY] Dagdeviren's specific Antep baklava technique **Lahmacun (Turkish flatbread with spiced meat topping):** - Specifically Antep lahmacun: a specific blend of finely minced lamb, tomato, onion, parsley, Antep pepper, and pomegranate molasses spread thin on a stretched dough disc, baked very quickly at extremely high heat - The thinness is the technique: the dough rolled to 1–2mm, the topping spread so thin it dries rather than steams during the 2–3 minute bake
The Turkish Cookbook