Even though it is supposed that pide spread from the north of Turkey, nowadays pide restaurants, "pideci"s are one of the most common restaurants in Istanbul (and Turkey). You are likely to find in the same restaurants milky desserts, such as "sütlaç" which are also common in the Black Sea region of Turkey, so you may end your meal with them.
The word "pide" in Turkish is used both for the bread itself, without toppings, and with toppings (or fillings). So, depending on the restaurant you may order your pide "açık", which is literally "open" as in the film, or "kapalı", literally "closed", meaning the canoe shaped variant when the bread is filled in with stuff, usually minced meat. There are three types that are popular;
- "kıymalı", means minced meat
- "ıspanaklı", means with spinach, may also include cheese
- "peynirli sucuklu, pastırmalı..." , means with cheese and sucuk, pastirma and probably vegetables, primarily green pepper. Sucuk and pastırma are Turkish sausage varieties.
The servant may also ask whether you prefer an egg on the top, (yumurtalı mı?), and unless you are very fond of eggs, prefer one without eggs, so that you will better enjoy the taste of pide itself.
The cheese variety used most commonly is "kaşar", but in more authentic restaurants, as in the film, you may also come accross "Trabzon cheese".
The Italian "pizza" most probably originates from the same word "pita" as pide has originated, and has arrived Italy by way of Arab or Greek influence from the south of Italy to Naples. However the tastes are substantially different, both because of the cheeses used, "kaşar" is saltier and more fatty than mozzarella, and the bread, pide is thicker and fluffier.
30 сен 2024
