Bastourma

bastourma

What it is

The name is Turkish — bastırma et, pressed meat — and the technique is credited to Armenian curers in Caesarea, today's Kayseri, who pressed and dried beef for long journeys on horseback. Basturmajian, the one who makes basturma, became a family surname that is still carried.

In the kitchen

The çemen crust is not packaging: leave it on and cut paper-thin across the grain. Fenugreek amplifies in a hot pan, so for eggs use half what you think you need and add no garlic of your own.

Goes with

Egg Tomato Onion Cucumber Yogurt Parsley

Same species

Abura-kasu Amourettes (spinal marrow) Spider steak Flank steak Beef Beef cheek

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