Boyoz facts for kids
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| Type | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Turkey |
| Region or state | İzmir |
| Created by | Sephardi Jews |
| Main ingredients | Flour, sunflower oil, tahini |
Boyoz is a tasty Turkish pastry. It comes from Sephardic Jewish people. This special pastry is mostly made in İzmir, Turkey. İzmir is practically the only city where it is made in the traditional way for sale. Because of this, Boyoz has become a symbol of İzmir for people who live there. It also reminds them of home when they are away. The most popular Boyoz is plain, without any meat, cheese, or spinach inside. A few expert bakers in İzmir make the best plain Boyoz.
How Boyoz is Made
Boyoz dough is made from flour, sunflower oil, and a little bit of tahini. It is mixed by hand. The ball of dough then rests for about two hours. After resting, the dough is flattened out to the size of a plate. It rests again. Then, it is kneaded and stretched out one more time. Next, it is rolled into a log shape and left to rest for several hours.
When the dough is soft but almost ready to break apart, it is cut into small balls. These small balls are placed in rows in pans. They soak in vegetable oil for 30 minutes to an hour. The dough then becomes oval-shaped. It gets a flaky texture, like a millefeuille (a pastry with many thin layers). Finally, the small dough balls are put on a tray. They are baked in a very hot oven. You can bake them plain or with fillings like cheese or spinach.
How to Enjoy Boyoz
People usually eat Boyoz with dark tea. They also enjoy it with hard-boiled eggs. These eggs are often sprinkled with lots of black pepper. Boyoz is often bought from street sellers. It is a popular snack to eat outdoors.
Where Boyoz Comes From
Most people agree that Boyoz has Judeo-Spanish roots. It was brought to İzmir's culture by Sephardic Jews. These Jewish people were asked to leave Spain after the year 1492. Many of them settled in big cities of the Ottoman Empire. İzmir was one of the main places they moved to.
This history is supported by similar pastries found in other places influenced by Spanish culture. For example, in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico, bollos are common. They are especially popular among Sephardic Jews, often filled with cheese and spinach. In old Spanish and the Ladino language, bollos means "a bundle" or "a pack."
For a long time, all the expert Boyoz bakers in İzmir were Jewish. The bakers today were taught by a master named Avram Usta. His name is still used in some bakeries' advertisements. They proudly sell "Boyoz of Avram Usta."
See also
In Spanish: Boyoz para niños
