Surmene Pita Product Description and Distinguishing Features: Sürmene Pide has been a traditional specialty in the Sürmene district since the 1940s. This delicacy is crafted by incorporating local ingredients like village cheese (a salty cheese) and butter into the dough, which is carefully hand-rolled into a circular form. A defining feature of this product is the use of cheese and butter made from the milk of animals grazing on herbs collected from the region’s rich pastures and meadows. Sürmene Pide features a special type of cheese locally known as salty cheese or village cheese. This cheese displays a pale yellow to reddish hue and is made up of both small and large pieces of matured cheese with a distinct milky aroma. It is a combination of two varieties: kolot and civil cheeses. Kolot cheese is produced from the milk of cows raised in Sürmene, undergoing acidification at low temperatures until it becomes elastic. The curd is then filtered through cheesecloth and pressed into a wheel shape using a rolling pin. In contrast, civil cheese consists of small granules formed by coagulating the milk of local cows from Sürmene. The butter used in Sürmene Pide is unsalted, pale yellow in color, and has a mildly tangy flavor. When melted, it becomes clear and transparent. Thanks to its rich and unique taste, Sürmene Pide is traditionally enjoyed alongside bread. Production Method: Dough Preparation: The dough is crafted using water, salt, flour, and fresh yeast. Omitting sugar in the dough mixture increases its durability and extends the shelf life of the pide. Key factors for producing quality pide include the dough's texture, the resting period before use, and the storage conditions while waiting for baking. To prepare the dough, 50 kg of flour is combined with 500 g of fresh yeast, 600 g of salt, and 30-32 liters of water, resulting in a chewy and easily shapeable dough. In warm weather, the dough is made firmer, while in colder conditions it becomes slightly sticky. After kneading, the dough rests for 30-45 minutes, covered, on a wooden dough board. Each pide uses between 230 and 250 grams of dough, which is shaped by hand without the aid of rolling pins or rollers. The dough is flattened into a circular form approximately 3-4 cm thick, with the edges folded inward. Filling Preparation: The filling primarily consists of a blend of village cheese (salty cheese). The cheese undergoes two brining stages. Initially, 70 grams of coarse kolot cheese is mixed with 30 grams of fine-grained civil cheese for every 100 grams of total cheese. Between 5-7 grams of salt is added, and the mixture is left to sour in the sun. It is then aged for a month by burying it in soil within concrete wells. During the second brining, the cheese from the first stage is soaked in water overnight to remove excess salt, improve adhesion to the dough, and prevent any bitterness in the final pide. Between 180 and 230 grams of village cheese (salty cheese) and 40-60 grams of butter are added onto the dough before baking in a stone oven. The oven's floor is constructed from stone, while the walls and ceiling are built from heat-resistant bricks without the use of cement. The fire is fueled by hardwoods such as kızılağaç, pelit, or gürgen, sourced from non-explosive trees. Due to uneven heat distribution, the pide is rotated during baking for 10-15 minutes. The finished pide has crispy edges with a softer center.