Nigde Tahini Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: Niğde Tahinlisi is a traditional bakery item that has been made in the Niğde province, especially in the central district, for many years. It is widely enjoyed during the month of Ramadan. This specialty is available in two types: plain and sweet. The production of Niğde Tahinlisi demands skill and craftsmanship, which has earned it a distinguished reputation within the Niğde region due to its distinctive preparation method. In the making of Niğde Tahinlisi, the dough is rolled out manually on the arm following the traditional technique. Then, tahini and sugar are evenly spread by hand over the dough, which is subsequently rolled up by hand according to the customary method, preparing it for baking. Except for the dough kneading stage, all steps in the production of Niğde Tahinlisi are performed manually without the use of machinery. The sugar used must come from sugar beets. Both the plain and sweet versions of Niğde Tahinlisi can be baked in wood-fired, gas, or electric ovens. Production Method: To produce 4 pieces of Niğde Tahinlisi, about 660 g of wheat flour, 360 g of water, 15 g of yeast, and 15 g of salt are used to prepare roughly 1 kg of leavened dough. Additionally, 1 kg of tahini is required, and for the sweet version of Niğde Tahinlisi, 400 g of beet sugar is added. Production Steps: - Prepare the dough in the amount needed to yield 1 kg of leavened dough for every four Niğde Tahinlisi. After resting for about 30 minutes, divide the dough into portions and skillfully roll each piece on the arm into a thin sheet. - Spread tahini evenly over the rolled-out dough. - If making the sweet version, sprinkle approximately 100 g of sugar over the tahini at this stage. - Roll the dough with tahini into a cylinder and allow it to rest for 30-40 minutes. - Then, coil the rolled dough into a circular shape and let it rest again for about 30 minutes. - After resting, each roll weighs between 350-400 g. - Finally, plain Niğde Tahinlisi is rolled into an oval shape, while the sweet type is shaped round, both with a thickness of about 1 cm. They are baked at 180°C in wood-fired, gas, or electric ovens for approximately 20 minutes.