Citizens, Gutap are a style of fritter or flatbread (depending on which country you live in) that are deep-fried and stuffed with a variety of ingredients varying from meat or vegetables found throughout Central Asia that are a favored treat among the native peoples of the region.
‘Gyzzyrma gutap’ is the Turkmen name for stuffed ‘half-moon’ flatbreads that are cooked in a pan over the stove. Gutap can also be baked in the oven (in this case, make the dough thicker) or deep-fried in oil.
Turkmen share a culinary heritage with their Turkic neighbors to the north, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The country’s cuisine has also been influenced by the cooking over their southern border in Iran, Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent.
In the past, most Turkmen were nomads, herding sheep and eking out what little they could from the sere, dusty landscape. While today’s Turkmen have mostly settled down into towns and cities, this nomadic imprint remains strong in the typical diet: lots of meat, bread, dumplings and dairy, and only small amounts of vegetables. Dishes are seasoned simply., Soups and stews (shorpa) are very common.
I named this recipe “Silk Road” because it combines recipes from both Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan located in the steppes of Central Asia, both major stops on the Silk Road trade route during the Middle Ages.
My recipe uses a Kazakh herb filling and dipping sauce along with a Turkmen shape/technique on the deep frying.
Individually, Gutap from both countries are delicious – combined, they are a truly unique and delicious meal to be enjoyed by all! 🙂
Citizens, these are truly delicious and I urge you to try this unique recipe combining aspects from two proud and ancient regions of the world that are poorly known in the West.
Battle on – The Generalissimo
PrintThe Hirshon Silk Road Herb Flatbreads – Gutap
- Total Time: 0 hours
Ingredients
- Filling:
- 3 tbsp Dill freshly chopped fine
- 3 tbsp Parsley freshly chopped fine
- 1 tbsp Garlic minced
- 9 tbsp Scallions chopped fine
- 1 tbsp Black pepper freshly ground
- 8 tbsp Butter
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- Dough:
- 1 1/2 c All purpose flour
- 1/2 ts Salt
- 4 tbsp Butter, softened
- 2/3 c Lukewarm water
- Sauce:
- 1 tsp Cider vinegar
- 1/4 c Sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. Butter
- 1/2 tsp Flour
- 6 Tbsp. finely-minced onion
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper freshly-ground
- 1 Tbsp. Lemon or lime juice freshly-squeezed & strained
Instructions
- DOUGH: Place the flour into a deep mixing bowl. Make a hollow in the center. Add the water into the hollow, salt, & 2 T of the butter. Stir slowly until all of the ingredients are well mixed and the water is totally absorbed. Beat vigorously with a large spoon until a firm, stiff dough is formed.
- Gather the dough into a ball. On a floured surface, roll the dough ball out into a 14 cm circle. Brush the dough with the remaining butter, Then spread 1 tablespoon of the herb filling on half of the circle while leaving a thin border. Fold the other half over and then crimp along the edge with a fork.
- Transfer the gutap to a tray covered with a kitchen towel and place another towel on top so that the gutap doesn’t stick to the tray or harden. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- FILLING: Combine the salt, pepper, scallions, garlic, parsley, & dill. Cut the butter into tiny bits and chill until the dough is ready. Place a teaspoon of the filling mix into the center of each square, add a piece of the butter to each.
- 4. Fill a large pot about 4 cm deep with oil and heat over medium heat to 375 degrees F. Prick the top of each gutap with a fork several times. Deep-fry the gutaps in batches of 2, flipping them once, until golden brown on both sides, and then take them out with a slotted spoon.
- SAUCE: Melt the butter, add the chopped onions, the salt, the pepper, & the vinegar. Cook for 4 minutes then add the remaining ingredients. Stir constantly until it thickens. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice and serve on the side with the gutap.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Recipes
Nutrition
- Calories: 577.97 kcal
- Sugar: 1.65 g
- Sodium: 447.0 mg
- Fat: 43.77 g
- Saturated Fat: 27.31 g
- Trans Fat: 1.63 g
- Carbohydrates: 41.67 g
- Fiber: 2.66 g
- Protein: 6.51 g
- Cholesterol: 114.33 mg
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