Urfa Cheese Kadayıf / Şanlıurfa Cheese Kadayıf

Şanlıurfa cheese kadayıf (Urfa pendirli kadayıf) is a syrupy dessert unique to Şanlıurfa province, made by placing locally produced Urfa cheese between strands of thin kadayıf and frying it on a tray with a mixture of molasses and plain oil. The product, registered by the Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality, was officially granted a geographical indication on 13 December 2022.

Description and Distinctive Characteristics

Şanlıurfa cheese kadayıf is a syrupy dessert prepared primarily using thin kadayıf, cheese, and a mixture of molasses and plain oil, cooked by frying on a tray.

• The production of the product uses components registered as geographical indications, namely Şanlıurfa Plain Oil / Urfa Oil No. 363 and Urfa Cheese / Şanlıurfa Cheese No. 807.
• The dessert is sliced and served in square, baklava-shaped, or triangular pieces after frying.
• The dessert is traditionally served at the end of special occasion meals.
• Owing to its strong association with the region, it is a geographical indication product requiring all production stages to be carried out within the defined geographical boundary.

Production Method

Ingredients

The ingredients for one portion of Şanlıurfa cheese kadayıf are as follows: 350 g thin kadayıf, 200 g Şanlıurfa Plain Oil / Urfa Oil, 500 g Urfa Cheese / Şanlıurfa Cheese, 20 g molasses, 200 ml water, 10 ml lemon juice, and 300 g white sugar.

Syrup Preparation

Sugar and water are mixed in a pot and brought to a boil. Once boiling begins, lemon juice is added. The syrup is then removed from heat and left to cool.

Kadayıf Preparation and Cooking

1. The thin kadayıf strands are gently separated by hand without excessive crushing. The Urfa cheese is also manually broken into small pieces.

2. The full amount of molasses is mixed with half of the Şanlıurfa Plain Oil and spread evenly on the bottom of the tray.

3. Half of the kadayıf is spread in an even, thin layer over the surface of the tray. The broken cheese is then evenly distributed over the kadayıf layer.

4. The remaining half of the kadayıf is spread over the cheese layer to fully cover it, and the layers are pressed firmly together.

5. The remaining plain oil is spread on a second tray in preparation for cooking.

6. The kadayıf tray is placed on a stove or low-heat charcoal fire that provides even heat distribution to begin cooking.

7. As the kadayıf fries, it acquires a light reddish hue due to the molasses-oil mixture on the tray. Once one side is cooked, the kadayıf is flipped onto the oiled second tray to fry the other side.

8. The frying process on both sides takes approximately 30 minutes.

Serving

After frying, the kadayıf dessert is allowed to rest for five minutes before being cut into square, baklava-shaped, or large triangular pieces. While still warm, the chilled syrup is poured evenly over the entire surface of the tray. Şanlıurfa cheese kadayıf is served directly on the frying tray.

Geographical Boundary and Monitoring

The geographical boundary for Şanlıurfa cheese kadayıf is defined as Şanlıurfa province. Since the product’s reputation is intrinsically linked to this geographical area, all production stages must be carried out within this boundary.

Monitoring is conducted by a supervisory body coordinated by the Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality. This body consists of five experts, one each from the Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality, the Şanlıurfa Restaurant, Kebab and Dessert Makers Association, the Şanlıurfa Chamber of Commerce, the Şanlıurfa Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Department of Food Engineering at Harran University.