Bursa Tahinli Pide

Bursa Tahinli Pide is a traditional bakery and confectionery product unique to the province of Bursa in Türkiye and protected under geographical indication. The product was officially registered on 1 November 2021 under the geographical indication framework and has been known and produced in Bursa since the Ottoman period. All stages of production processing and packaging must take place within the boundaries of Bursa province.

Distinctive Characteristic

Bursa Tahinli Pide is a sweet variety of pide prepared by spreading a tahini-based mixture onto leavened dough and baked in a wood-fired stone-bottomed black oven or in ovens with equivalent temperatures. It is also locally known as “tahanlı pide.” The product is distinctive to Bursa in terms of its shape taste and ingredients. Its history is traced back approximately 500 years. Tahinli pide is commonly consumed during breakfast tea times meetings and festive meals.

Bursa Tahinli Pide (Türk Patent)

Recipe

Ingredients and Preparation

Dough Ingredients (for 1 kg of dough):

• 1 kg flour
• 100–150 g sugar
• 20–40 g salt
• 25–50 g fresh yeast
• 50–100 g liquid oil (preferred)

Topping Mixture (for 1 kg tahini mixture):

• 1 kg tahini
• Approximately 500 ml water
• 10–50 g grape molasses
• 10–60 g sugar per pide

Production Method

The first stage of production involves dissolving the yeast by hand in cold water. A small amount of sugar is added at this stage to activate the yeast. The resulting yeast mixture is added to the flour and the dough is kneaded. The dough is left to rise for 30 to 60 minutes. Afterward pieces of approximately 100 grams are separated from the dough shaped into round pide forms and allowed to rest for an additional half hour.

Bursa Tahinli Pide (Bursa Metropolitan Municipality)

A mixture of tahini grape molasses water and sugar is spread over the dough. The sugar content in the mixture is adjusted according to the amount of grape molasses used. Grape molasses is added to balance the dominant taste of tahini while water ensures the mixture has a pourable consistency. The prepared pides are left to rest for approximately five minutes after which a light dusting of powdered sugar is applied before baking.

Baking is typically carried out for 10 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 200–240 °C preferably in a wood-fired stone-bottomed black oven. However the product may also be baked in other ovens that reach the same temperature range.

Bursa Tahinli Pide (Bursa Metropolitan Municipality)

Storage and Packaging

When produced using traditional methods Bursa Tahinli Pide contains no additives or preservatives and is typically consumed while still warm. However it can be stored for extended periods by freezing.

Frozen products can be stored in three different forms:

1. Raw Frozen: Frozen by shock freezing at -40 °C and stored at -18 °C. Shelf life: 6 months.
2. Partially Baked: Baked to 80 percent then cooled to room temperature shock frozen at -40 °C and stored at -18 °C. Shelf life: 12 months.
3. Fully Baked: Baked to 100 percent cooled shock frozen at -40 °C and stored at -18 °C. Shelf life: 12 months.

On the labels of frozen products the status of the product as raw partially baked or fully baked along with storage temperatures and durations must be clearly indicated in accordance with the Turkish Food Codex Labeling Regulation. If a business sells frozen products after baking them the fact must also be explicitly stated.

Products baked in wood-fired stone-bottomed black ovens must bear the phrase “Baked in a black oven” on their packaging or display area. The geographical indication and registered trademark emblem must be placed on the product itself or its packaging or if this is not feasible on a location within the production facility clearly visible to consumers.

Geographical Boundary and Oversight

The production of Bursa Tahinli Pide is exclusively tied to Bursa province and must occur within its defined geographical boundaries. The registering authority is the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Oversight is conducted by a three-member inspection body composed of one expert each from the Bursa Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry and the Faculty of Agriculture at Uludağ University under the coordination of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Inspection criteria include:

• Control of the production method
• Review of raw material tracking records
• Sensory inspection (appearance taste and aroma)
• Observation of ingredient proportions and measurements
• Verification of traditional baking methods and labeling requirements
• Proper use of the geographical indication and registered trademark emblem

Inspections are conducted at least once annually but may be carried out at any time upon request or complaint. Experts from public or private institutions may be consulted during inspections. The registering authority is responsible for initiating legal proceedings to protect the geographical indication rights.

Bursa Tahinli Pide (Bursa Metropolitan Municipality)