What do Turkish and Greek cuisine have in common? And how do they differ? Is Baklava Greek or Turkish? And rolled grape leaves? Which country made the first olive oil? What about phyllo pastry? So many mouthwatering questions. One thing is sure, these two countries, situated side by side in the Mediterranean sea, have both been heavily influenced by their Mediterranean culture, which comes out in their culinary processes. They share a similar climate, the prosperous Mediterranean sun, and many of the same landscapes. While their histories differ, they both have a shared but unique heritage, which is beautifully and subtly reflected in their cuisine.
To better understand their cooking, let’s take a look at their history. One of the first residents of Greece, ( 2700 BC), the Minoans, domesticated grains, made the first wines from wild grapes and pressed the first olive oil, which soon became foundational to the Greek economy.
After that, the ancient Greeks arrived from the Ural mountain area, bringing with them cattle and bees for making honey. This people invented bread, developed the wine-making process, cultivated orchards of fruit and nut trees, ancient olive groves, figs, pistachios, and gathered greens.
Turkey, on the other hand, by its mere location, was influenced by Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, and of course Greece. It is one of the few self-sustaining countries in the world, thanks to its size and diversity. Much of its culinary heritage can be traced back to the period of the Ottoman Empire, but it also comes from many of its neighbors: wine from Greece, sugar, rice and sweets from Persia, skewered meats (shis-kebabs) and flat breads show nomadic influence.
The Ottomans, among other things, served to bring variety, freshness, color, and refinement to Turkish cuisine, which has been exported throughout the world.
Some dishes are virtually the same within the two countries, while others radically differ. Both the Greeks and Turks have a delicious chicken soup they make, both with a bit of lemon, but the Turks add a bit of yoghurt (a Turkish invention) to theirs and use only egg yolks, while the Greeks use whole eggs. The herbs, spices and vegetables are slightly different as well.
Both the Greeks and the Turks make tasty salads from a variety of raw fresh vegetables; the Greeks may add Feta cheese, while the Turks may spice it up with peppers.
Both the Greeks and the Turks prepare stuffed vine leaves. The Turks have a traditional recipe invented for the Ottoman sultan that uses cherries, dried currants, cinnamon, parsley, dill, and allspice along with long grain rice, lemon juice and olive oil. A typical Greek such preparation (called dolmades) would be made of risotto rice, fennel, mint, onions, lemon juice and olive oil.
And of course, baklava is a heralded treat of both nations. The Greeks refined the pastry, perhaps first developed by the Assyrians, into its famous thin leaf appearance (phyllo means leaf in Greek) and concocted the pastry with honey and walnuts. It was the Ottoman empire that added the pistachios and other spices like, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves.
To eat Turkish or Greek cuisine is truly a celebration of the blending of peoples, ideas, and flavors, all subtly woven together in a savory tapestry, a delight for the eyes.
FAQs
In both Greece and Turkey, meals largely focus on three main ingredients: rice, vegetables and bread. Both countries have incorporated rice into dozens of their famous recipes.
What do Greece and Turkey have in common? ›
They share a similar climate, the prosperous Mediterranean sun, and many of the same landscapes. While their histories differ, they both have a shared but unique heritage, which is beautifully and subtly reflected in their cuisine.
What Greek food has Turkish origin? ›
Some Greek dishes are inherited from Ottoman cuisine, which combined influences from Persian, Levantine, Arabic, Turkish and Byzantine cuisines: meze, kadaifi, halva, and loukoumi.
Why are Greek and Turkish similar? ›
As both countries formed part of the old Ottoman Empire, many of the most popular dishes use similar spices and base ingredients. The national dish for both Greece and Turkey is shared, involving white beans stewed in tomato sauce with olive oil, onions and various spices.
Is tzatziki Greek or Turkish? ›
Tzatziki is Greek, no other country can claim the most famous Greek food in the world (it's a few centuries older than Greek Mousaka)!!! The Ottoman Empire, ruled over Greece from the 16th century until World War 1.
Is gyro Greek or Turkish? ›
Gyros
| Gyros in Greece, with meat, onions, tomato, lettuce, fried potatoes, and tzatziki rolled in a pita |
|---|
| Alternative names | Gyro |
|---|
| Type | Meat wrap |
| Course | Main course |
| Place of origin | Greece |
3 more rowsThe largest study ever taken, published and edited by Harvard Medical School, titled “Y-chromosomal analysis of Greek Cypriots reveals a primarily common pre-Ottoman paternal ancestry with Turkish Cypriots”shows that Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots share primarily a common pre-Ottoman paternal ancestry, they are ...
Which part of Turkey is like Greece? ›
Gokceada Island
Like Bozcaada, Gokceada is also located in the Aegean Sea and shares similarities with its Greek neighbors. Gokceada is mountainous, with hilltop villages with cobblestoned streets dotting the landscape.
What is the Mediterranean between Greece and Turkey? ›
Aegean Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea located between the Greek peninsula on the west and Asia Minor on the east. About 380 miles (612 km) long and 186 miles (299 km) wide, it has a total area of some 83,000 square miles (215,000 square km).
Are kebabs Greek or Turkish? ›
The döner kebab originated in 19th century Turkey, but it became widely popular in the West only in the latter half of the 20th century.
The English name borek comes from Turkish börek (Turkish pronunciation: [bœˈɾec]), while burek is the form used in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Other variants include byrek in Albania and Kosovo; boureki in Greece; byurek (Bulgarian: Бюрек) in Bulgaria; bourek and brick Annabi in Algeria; brik in Tunisia.
Is Greek yogurt originally Turkish? ›
In Greece, they call it straggisto I.e strained yogurt. The name "Greek" yogurt was first used to describe products manufactured by fa*ge, a company in Athens, Greece. However it became popular after Chobani, a company created in the US by a Turkish man, started using the term too.
Are most Turkish people ethnically Greek? ›
While the legal use of the term Turkish as it pertains to a citizen of Turkey is different from the term's ethnic definition, the majority of the Turkish population (an estimated 70 to 75 percent) are of Turkish ethnicity. The vast majority of Turks are Muslims and follow the Sunni faith.
Do Turks say opa? ›
Opa is also used in many European countries such as Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Cyprus, Turkey, Bulgaria, Belarus, Estonia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Armenia, and Georgia as well as many Middle Eastern countries like Syria, Lebanon, ...
Why are Turks and Greeks rivals? ›
Türkiye and Greece have been longstanding adversaries and have come close to war. The fundamental cause is that Greece and Türkiye have a longstanding territorial dispute around islands in the Aegean Sea and among claims over exclusive economic zone rights in the East Mediterranean and Aegean Sea.
What is the beef between Greeks and Turks? ›
The Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean conflicts
The conflict between Turkey and Greece is largely over whether the Greek islands are allowed an exclusive economic zone, the basis of claiming rights over the sea. Some claim fear of sovereignty loss is what is driving this conflict.
What food is Turks known for? ›
What are the Traditional Turkish foods?
- Adana Kebab. A spicy mix of ground veal and lamb, this kebab is grilled and usually comes with grilled veggies, a fresh salad, some rice or bulgur, and a piece of Turkish bread.
- Beyti Kebab. ...
- Tomato Kebab. ...
- Ali Nazik Kebab. ...
- Alti Ezmeli Kebab. ...
- Cacik. ...
- Hummus. ...
- Ezme.
