Handmade Turkish pasta making inroads in Europe

By Bulent Mavzer

IGDIR, Turkey (AA) – Handmade pasta dishes from eastern Turkey are growing increasingly popular across Europe, especially in Italian cuisine, according to a Turkish entrepreneur.

A factory from the eastern province of Igdir has launched a project to promote the local traditional pasta, known as “eriste” in Turkish, across Europe.

Pastas are generally prepared for winter in the region and are often eaten with various types of flavorings as they can be served with sauces using tomato, basil, pepper or even plain.

Neslihan Sadak runs a food factory in the city which has been producing traditional products since 2013.

Turkish-style traditional pasta is very popular in Europe, especially in the Italian food market, she said. She added that her brother launched a business in Germany in 2006.

“We use traditional methods to make this unique pasta, as is natural to us,” she told Anadolu Agency.

She said local women cooks are involved in the process of producing the pasta, which is made from wheat flour.

After the fermentation process, the pasta has to be sun dried and roasted before it can be prepared for cooking.

Restaurants featuring “Italian cuisine (have) shown great interest in our pastas,” she added.

They sell the pastas, which are produced in Igdir, to Italian, German and Turkish restaurants in Europe, she said, adding, “Turkish expatriates are also fond of eriste.”

Aslihan Sadak, the manager’s sister, said the product is marketed from Germany.