These savoury cookies, called “Çatal” in Turkish, are among the most favoured in Turkey. It is sold next to Turkish bagels called simit. This is a recipe for preparing the “Çatal” at home. “Çatal” means fork in Turkish, the name is probably derived from the shape, as when cut in the middle this bagel looks like a fork.
The crucial ingredient of these cookies is “mahlep”, also called Mahlepi-Mahaleb-Mahlab. Prunus mahaleb L., is a small tree with white flowers, that produces dark red edible plums. Mahaleb cherry has been used for centuries especially in East Europe and the Middle East. Mahaleb is a powder made from the seeds of this small tree. It tastes like a combination of almonds, vanilla and cherries. The after taste leaves you with bitterness and a very different flavour which makes Çatal so unique.
To give the traditional shape make a “S” shape and stick the corners.
Hope you will try and enjoy, it is one of my favourites.
Savoury Cookies with Nigella Seeds
Ingredients
- 500+/- grams flour
- 125 grams butter
- 150 grams olive oil
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple vinegar
- 10 grams baking powder
- 1 tablespoon mahaleb
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium-low heat.
- Mix the melted butter, yogurt, olive oil and vinegar.
- In another bowl mix the flour, baking powder, mahaleb, salt and sugar.
- Then combine the two bowls. Obtain a non-sticky soft dough.
- Cut into walnut sized pieces.
- Roll each small ball in your palms to make long pieces.
- Fold to make an “S” shape, then meet ends to create the shape required.
- Place the shaped pastry on the oven tray.
- Whisk egg yolks and spread on top of the pastries with an egg brush.
- Sprinkle some nigella seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180° Celsius until golden brown for about 20 minutes.