Semsek is a traditional pastry dish peculiar to Southeastern Anatolian cuisine, especially made in the Şanlıurfa region. Prepared by frying, this dish is made in various forms using ground meat, cheese, or plain cheese in its filling. It is obtained by placing the prepared filling inside thinly rolled dough, closing it, and frying it in oil. Etymologically, it is derived from the Persian word “senbûse” (triangular headscarf). Depending on regional variations, it is also pronounced as “samsa” or “sembusek”.

^{Semsek (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Preparation Method

Basic Ingredients

The basic ingredients used in making Semsek are as follows:

1 kg flour
½ kg lean ground meat
2 dry onions
1 bunch parsley
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice (added to the dough)
1 glass of clarified butter (for frying)
Salt
Black pepper

With these ingredients, semsek for approximately four people can be prepared.

Dough Preparation

When preparing the dough, a small amount of salt is added to the flour. Then, vinegar or lemon juice is added. The ingredients are kneaded with gradual addition of water until a soft but non-sticky consistency is obtained. Tangerine-sized balls are separated from the kneaded dough. These balls are rolled out to the size of a dessert plate and not too thin. The consistency of the dough should be thick enough not to fall apart during frying and to hold the filling.

Filling Preparation

For the filling, first, the ground meat is sautéed in a pan with finely chopped onions. The cooking process continues until the ground meat releases and absorbs its juices. After cooling, it is mixed with finely chopped parsley, salt, and black pepper. Thus, the filling becomes a homogeneous mixture. This prepared filling is placed on one half of the dough; the other half is folded over, and the edges are firmly pressed to seal. Traditionally, the edges are cut to give it shape. The prepared semseks are fried in clarified butter until both sides turn golden pink.

Varieties

Ground Meat Semsek

It is the most common variety. It contains ground meat, sautéed onions, and fresh parsley. It is seasoned with black pepper. It is usually served as a main course or as a hot appetizer. Serving it with ayran (yogurt drink) is common.

Cheese Semsek

It is prepared similarly to the ground meat variety, but instead of ground meat, crumbled unsalted or desalted cheese is used. Finely chopped green onions, parsley, salt, and optionally red pepper flakes are also added to the filling. This variety is consumed as breakfast or a light meal.

Sweet Semsek

In this type, only unsalted cheese is used as the filling. After frying, it is eaten hot or warm, dipped either in sugar syrup or molasses. In this respect, it differs from classic savory semseks. Sweet semsek is a preferred type in traditional Şanlıurfa tables, especially during holidays or special occasions.

Cultural and Linguistic Origin

The word “Semsek” is derived from the Persian word “senbûse” (triangular headscarf). This word has undergone phonetic transformation among the people over time and has taken the form “semsek”. Similar dishes are also found in the Middle East and Central Asia, and types resembling this dish are named “sambusak”, “samsa”, etc. Local pronunciations in Türkiye include forms such as samsa and sembusek. This diversity indicates the cultural circulation and regional adaptations of the dish.

Serving and Consumption

Semsek is usually served hot. While ground meat and cheese varieties are consumed during lunch and dinner, sweet semsek is mostly found as a snack or a special occasion dessert. In some homes, it is served with ayran, while the sweet variety, in particular, is offered with sugar syrup or molasses. The hand-rolling of its dough shows that traditional culinary practice is maintained.

Semsek