Taste and atmosphere
About
This is a regional type of bread with a thick crust that stays fresh for a long time, baked with sourdough in stone ovens over oak wood fire in the villages of Çekmeköy.
Flavors, dishes and restaurants
Cuisine
In Çekmeköy district, which preserves its rural texture despite being close to İstanbul city center, baking is a deeply rooted tradition. Cekmekoy wood-fired bread is prepared with special sourdough passed down through generations of bakers. It is sold as an indispensable breakfast item at markets in the district center and roadside stalls in the forest villages shown on the Map.
The smoky smell of oak wood penetrates the crust of the bread, offering a much more aromatic taste than industrial breads across Türkiye. Its porous structure is noticeable when sliced.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram of whole wheat flour
- 150 grams of active sourdough starter
- 700 milliliters of warm water (Tasdelen spring water preferred)
- 20 grams of salt
- Some bran for the oven floor
Preparation
- Mix flour, sourdough starter, and most of the water and let it rest for 30 minutes for autolyse, then add salt and the remaining water and knead.
- Perform the first fermentation by folding the dough every hour for 4 hours at room temperature.
- Place the shaped dough into baskets and leave it for cold fermentation in the refrigerator for 12 hours.
- Dust the floor of the stone oven heated with oak wood with bran, put the dough in, and bake for about 45 minutes until it gets a thick, crispy crust.
Practical notes before you go
Visit
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- Menus and hours can change; confirm before you go.
Related places around here
Nearby
Food
3
Food
Cekmekoy Homemade Baklava
This is a special dessert prepared with thin, hand-rolled dough sheets in the houses of Çekmeköy , a forested district of İstanbul , during traditional holidays and special events.
Food
Tasdelen Village Kete
This is a traditional pastry filled with flour halva or salted roasted flour, frequently baked during winter months in the historic Tasdelen area and old villages of Çekmeköy district.
Food
Resadiye Village Stew
This is a regional stew dish slowly cooked in clay pots with fresh vegetables and lamb meat produced in the old Resadiye village of Çekmeköy district.