Debates about who owns baklava, which has a place in the cuisine of many nations, have been going on for centuries. Although baklava was registered as a Turkish dessert by the European Union Commission on August 8, 2013, the debate about its origin has ended...

Debates about who owns baklava, which has a place in the cuisine of many nations, have been going on for centuries. Although baklava was registered as a Turkish dessert by the European Union commission on August 8, 2013, the debates about its origin did not end. Three theories are being evaluated regarding how baklava, which is said to have taken its current form during the Ottoman Period, was derived. The first of these is that baklava derives from the placenta cake in Roman cuisine. Another theory is that baklava was developed based on the layered bread dish of Central Asian Turks. The focus of the third claim is Persians. Accordingly, the Persian dish lauizanaq inspired the development of baklava. While debates about its origins continue, it is indisputable that the Ottoman Empire had the biggest share in bringing baklava to its current state. In the Ottoman Empire, the most preferred type of dessert during holidays, weddings and special celebrations has always been baklava. Baklava, a symbol of wealth, appears not only in celebrations but also in various state ceremonies. In fact, in the Ottoman Empire, on the 15th day of Ramadan, the sultan would offer trays of baklava to the Janissaries and this ceremony was called the Baklava Procession. This tradition, which emerged in the early 18th century, was made by the sultan to keep his soldiers pleasant. It was prepared as a tray for every ten soldiers and served in front of the palace kitchen. After Silahtar Ağa, the head of the Janissaries, received the first tray, all the trays were given to the Janissaries. The chiefs would go to their barracks in the front and the soldiers carrying the trays would go to the back. This tradition, which made baklava a symbol of the Ottoman sultanate, disappeared with the Janissary Corps. The last baklava procession was held two months before the abolition of the Janissary Corps. This tradition is shown as the basis for considering baklava, which gave its name to a state ceremony in the Ottoman Empire, as belonging to the Ottoman culture, regardless of which ethnic community's traditional culinary culture its origins are.

Where does the word baklava come from?

The word Baklava is of Turkish origin. In Old Turkish, baklağu is referred to as baklaki. Another evidence that the word baklava is Turkish is that the word oklava, which is used to roll out the dough, has uses such as oklağa, oklağu, oklâ, okla in the old language and even appears in written works before 1500. In some sources, it is stated that the name 'baklava' may have been derived by adding a Turkish verb suffix to the Mongolian word baγla-, meaning 'to tie, to wrap', but the Mongolian verb baγla- is also a loan from Old Turkish.

Baklava Today

When it comes to baklava, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly Gaziantep. Baklavas made with pistachios are very popular. The ingredients used in baklava may vary depending on the region. Pistachios are preferred in baklavas made mainly in Southeastern Anatolia, hazelnuts in the Black Sea region, and walnuts in Central Anatolia. While baklavas made in the Aegean region are mostly prepared with almonds, in Thrace, sesame is mostly used. Although the most popular one is the one with pistachios, the ones with walnuts are frequently encountered due to economic reasons. Baklava, made from forty layers of thin dough, is a dessert known in many parts of the world. Its basic material is starch. After the filling material is crushed in a mortar or various shapes, the hot syrup is added. The abundance of filling ingredients and the consistency of the syrup indicate its quality. There are also varieties made with not only sherbet but also milk and honey sherbet.