Cantık is a very popular dish in Bursa; so much so that there are restaurants that specialize exclusively in making cantık. It is traditional for Turks to order cantık at restaurants on special occasions, such as a wedding or a sünnet (circumcision ceremony).
It is believed that this dish arrived in Bursa around the 19th century, originating from the Caucasus region. The typical cantık is prepared with minced meat, but there are also different versions that include other ingredients such as cheese or eggs, which we will also show you here.
Ingredients for 6 cantık
- 600 g all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup of warm water
- 25 g of fresh yeast
- 4 tablespoons of warm water
For the topping:
- 200 g of minced beef or lamb
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 grated tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- Chopped parsley
- Salt, oregano, and pepper
For the cheese version:
- 2 cups Emmental cheese or other melting cheese
For the egg version:
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (to brush over the cantık after baking)
Preparation
Dissolve the yeast in 4 tablespoons of warm water.
Sift the flour with the salt and form it into a well. Gradually add a cup of lukewarm water, and continue kneading until the dough is ready—neither too hard nor too soft. Let it rest, covered, for an hour.
To prepare the minced meat mixture to be placed on top, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, then add the meat and sauté for another 5 minutes. Next, add the grated tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Finally, season with salt and pepper, and flavor with black pepper and thyme. Also add the chopped parsley.
If you want to make the cantık with eggs, set aside 4 tablespoons of the previous mixture (without the meat) to brush the cantık with it before adding the eggs.
After 1 hour, place the dough on a floured surface and form 8 balls, flatten them, and roll them out by hand to form a pizza-like base with edges. Next, spread the mixture you prepared earlier on top.
Let it rest for 15 minutes on the baking sheet. Then bake at 200°C for about 15–20 minutes.
To make with eggs:
After shaping the cantık balls and flattening them, first spread the tomato sauce and egg whites on top. Bake for 5 minutes at 200°C, then add the yolk and bake for 2 more minutes.
To make with cheese:
After flattening the cantık balls, sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake at 200°C until the cheese is melted (about 10–15 minutes).
Finally, when you take the cantık out of the oven, brush the edges with melted butter and cover the baking sheet with a kitchen towel until it’s time to serve.
Afiyet olsun! (Enjoy your meal!)
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Funda is a master of Turkish cuisine. Her cooking skills have led her to participate in all kinds of contests and competitions, and she has won numerous awards for her recipes. If you try one of her dishes… Say goodbye to your diet!
