Traditional Walnut Pastry Dessert from Alanya Cuisine
🧾 Ingredients (Serves 30)
For the Dough
- 1 glass water
- 1 tea glass milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tea glass vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Flour as needed
For Rolling the Dough
- 500 g flour
- 500 g starch
For the Filling
- 1 kg crushed walnuts
For the Topping
- 250 g butter
- 1 glass vegetable oil
- 1 package margarine
For the Syrup
- 2.5 kg sugar
- 3 liters water
- Juice of ½ lemon
👩🍳 Preparation
Combine flour, milk, egg, vinegar, baking soda, water, vegetable oil, and salt in a large bowl. Knead until a dough slightly firmer than earlobe consistency is obtained.
Divide the dough into portions and roll each piece into very thin sheets using a mixture of flour and starch. Cut each sheet in half and sprinkle crushed walnuts over the surface.
Wrap each sheet around a thin rolling pin and gently gather it from both ends toward the center to create its characteristic wrinkled shape. Remove from the rolling pin and place in a baking tray. Repeat the process until the tray is full and all the dough has been used.
🔥 Baking
Melt and heat the butter, vegetable oil, and margarine together. Pour the hot fat mixture evenly over the prepared pastry.
Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) until golden brown.
For the syrup, combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice approximately 10 minutes before removing the syrup from the heat. Continue simmering until the syrup thickens slightly, then allow it to cool until warm.
Once the baked pastry has completely cooled, pour the warm syrup evenly over it.
Note: The syrup should be warm, while the pastry should be completely cold before combining.
🍽️ Serving Suggestion
Allow the dessert to absorb the syrup fully before serving. It pairs perfectly with Turkish tea or Turkish coffee.
🌾 Local Heritage
Oklava Çekmesi is one of Alanya’s traditional syrup-soaked desserts. Prepared by wrapping thin layers of dough around a rolling pin and shaping them into delicate folds, this dessert is especially popular during religious holidays, weddings, and family gatherings. The recipe has been passed down through generations and remains an important part of Alanya’s culinary heritage, often baked in traditional village and neighborhood ovens.