Gatmer
🍰Gatmer: A Sweet Filo Pastry Tradition from Northern Cyprus
In the lush and sun-drenched kitchens of Northern Cyprus, sweet treats occupy a cherished place, and among them, Gatmer (also known locally as Sini Gatmeri or sac gatmeri) stands out for its delicate layers, crunchy texture, and indulgent sweetness. Gatmer is a dessert rooted in the shared culinary heritage of the Mediterranean and the Turkish world, combining filo-style pastry, nuts, butter, and syrup to create something that’s crisp, rich, and utterly satisfying.
Here, you'll get the full Gatmer recipe, some background about its origins, cooking tips, and ideas for serving. Whether you're a home cook or a food blogger, this guide is designed to help your Gatmer shine both in flavour and in search results.
__________________________________________
Origins & Cultural Significance
📍 What is Gatmer? It is a layered sweet pastry made with thin dough or filo, filled with chopped nuts (often walnuts or pistachios), butter (or clarified butter/ghee), sometimes cream, and often soaked in sweet syrup. In Northern Cyprus you’ll find variations: sini gatmeri, baked in a tray, or sac gatmeri, cooked on a sac (a domed griddle).
📍 Where & when is it eaten? Gatmer is served as a dessert or treat, especially during family gatherings, special occasions, or when guests arrive. It embodies shared traditions of sweets in Turkish and Cypriot cuisine.
📍 Variations: Depending on region and taste, Gatmer may differ in thickness, nut choice (walnut versus pistachio), amount of butter, and syrup flavor (sometimes with rose water or lemon). The cooking method (oven vs sac) also changes texture.
__________________________________________
🥗Ingredients
• 6 filo pastry sheets (≈ 250-300 g)
• 200 g walnuts (or pistachios), finely chopped
• 120-150 g butter, melted (or clarified butter / ghee)
• 75 g sugar (for the nut layer)
For syrup:
• 200 ml water
• 200 g sugar
• A slice of lemon or 1 tsp lemon juice
• Optional: 1 tsp rose water
• Optional garnish: extra chopped nuts, cinnamon
__________________________________________
👨🍳Step-by-Step Gatmer Recipe
• Preparation Time ~30 minutes
• Baking/cooking: 20-30 minutes (tray) or shorter if using sac or griddle
• Letting syrup soak: ~10-15 minutes
🔳Preheat & prepare: Preheat your oven to ~180-190 °C (350-375 °F). If using a sac or griddle, prepare it over moderate heat.
🥟Layering pastry: Lay one filo sheet on a greased baking tray. Brush it with melted butter. Repeat for half your filo sheets, placing butter in between each layer.
🥜Add nuts & flavour: Spread chopped nuts evenly over the top, sprinkle sugar, maybe some cinnamon or chopped almonds. If using cream or kaymak, you can place small dollops in spots.
🧈Finish layering: Cover with remaining filo sheets, again brushing each layer with butter. On top layer, brush generously with butter and optionally score the top (cut into diamond or square shapes) so syrup can penetrate later.
🥧Bake: Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. If using sac or griddle, turn carefully to cook both sides, ensuring crispness.
🫗Prepare syrup (şerbet): While Gatmer is baking, make syrup by boiling sugar with water (and a squeeze of lemon juice or splash of rose water) until slightly thickened. Let cool a little.
🍒Finishing touch: When Gatmer comes out of the oven and is still hot, pour the warm syrup over it. Let it sit so the syrup absorbs. Optionally garnish with more nuts or chopped almonds.
🍽️Serve & enjoy: Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Great with tea, coffee, or even a scoop of ice cream or extra cream on the side.
__________________________________________
📝Tips & Tricks for Best Gatmer
• Use good filo pastry: Thin, even, not stuck together. Thaw slowly and keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
• Butter vs clarified butter/ghee: Clarified butter gives richer flavour and better crisp texture; but regular melted butter works fine.
• Nuts: Toasting nuts first enhances aroma and crunch. Coarsely chopped gives texture; finely chopped gives smoother bite.
• Syrup consistency: Not too thick. If syrup is too viscous, it won’t absorb well and makes the Gatmer soggy. Pour while pastry is hot; syrup should be warm.
• Baking tray vs sac: Baking in a tray gives more of a layered dessert; using a sac or griddle gives thin, crisp layers, more like a pancake or flatbread.
__________________________________________
🔄Suggested Variations
• Flavoring the syrup: Add a splash of rose water or orange blossom water. Maybe cardamom or a stick of cinnamon while boiling.
• Creamy filling: Use kaymak (thick clotted cream) or mascarpone or a sweet cream between some layers for contrast.
• Nut mix: Combine walnuts + pistachios or add chopped almonds. Some like to add a little ground hazelnut.
• Shape & presentation: Traditional tray, cut into diamonds; or roll up portions; or make individual pieces in small pans or even fry-on-griddle style.
__________________________________________
🍰Gatmer vs Similar Desserts
• Katmer (Gaziantep) – Very similar concepts; Gaziantep’s katmer often uses pistachios, cream (kaymak), and is sometimes eaten for breakfast.
• Baklava series desserts – share filo / syrup / nuts theme but Gatmer tends to use fewer layers, less syrup, and different shape / texture.
• Kattimeri, Sini Gatmeri terms local to Cyprus, sometimes interchangeable or representing regional twist.
__________________________________________
😋Why Gatmer Deserves Your Kitchen & Your Visitors
• Because it strikes a beautiful balance between crisp and sweet, texture and flavour.
• It carries cultural weight: when you serve it, you're sharing a piece of North Cyprus' heritage.
• Visually appealing: golden layers, nut garnish, syrup sheen — great for food photos.
• Flexible to make at home; ingredients are accessible, and technique isn’t overly complicated though care is needed.
__________________________________________
🌸Final Thoughts
Gatmer is more than a dessert — it is a delicious expression of North Cyprus culture, craftsmanship, and love for sweet, flaky indulgence. With accessible ingredients and a relatively simple process, anyone can bring a taste of Cyprus into their home. Whether you follow the traditional route or experiment with variations (cream, different nuts, flavouring), Gatmer invites creativity. Try it, share it, and enjoy that golden, crunchy, syrupy slice of tradition.