Have you ever eaten Turkish pita, which has been cooked with sawdust for a quarter of a century in the Ottoman oven in the historical Han ( Inn )?

Are you familiar with the traditional Turkish dish of pita made with sawdust at the Ottoman Bakery? The pita restaurantis located within the Historical Inn and has been available for 25 years. This unique offering showcases the traditional flavors and techniques of Turkish cuisine.

Istanbul is a city with a rich history dating back to prehistoric times. It is possible to see traces of history throughout the city. Istanbul is known for its diverse food cultures, from Michelin-starred restaurants to street delicacies. In this text, we would like to introduce you to a special pita hall that few people know about. It is an indispensable stop on TrukeyGreeceTour.com walking tours. We will tell the story of Chef Ahmet, who has been baking pita with sawdust fire for 36 years in the Ottoman-style oven he learned to make from his grandfather. He operates the local Turkish pita saloon in the historical Kuveloğlu Han (Inn) in Eminönü,İstanbul.

As you approach the historical Kuveloğlu Han (Inn) in Eminönü Küçük Pazar, you will smell the aroma of pita bread mixed with the scent of the oven. Upon entering the inn, you will be greeted by an authentic bakery that smells like a freshly baked pita.

Chef Ahmet learned the tricks of lighting the oven and baking pita bread from his grandfather and father. He kneads the dough for the pitas, prepares the filling by fermenting them, and then puts them in the oven. Chef Ahmet ignites the pita by placing sawdust at the bottom of the oven and adding sawdust as the fire ends. He puts the pitas he has prepared into various compartments of the oven, which allows them to cook quickly. The oven burns with sawdust, and it was discovered 400 years ago during the Ottoman period. However, some parts of it have changed until today. The difficult part about this oven is its daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance. The oven has 16 pores, which can become clogged with sawdust dust over time. It needs to be cleaned regularly to ensure it continues to function properly.

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Baking pita in this way is an art form. Chef Ahmet can control the heat with sawdust. His specialty is sawdust, which he says prevents sudden embers from burning the products. The wood oven is also famous, but in a wood oven, the heat of the fire can penetrate the bread. In the sawdust oven, pita is cooked with heat, with no smoke or flame. The smoke comes out of the pores.