10 Traditional Turkish foods you must try in Turkey

Sticky, nutty and sweet, baklava is the perfect way to end a Turkish meal; layers of filo pastry, drenched in honey and syrup and topped with pistachio

A popular hot meze dish, cig borek are rolls of filo pastry (shaped like a cigar), traditionally filled with feta cheese and parsley. Borek can also come in triangles, like a samosa, filled with minced meat and spices.

Turkey’s favourite street food, gozleme are thin, crepe-like pancakes cooked on a flat hot stone, and filled with spiced potato, feta and herbs or minced meat.

A hot, bubbling casserole often served on a hot plate and bubbling with cheese, guvec can be made with either meat (usually lamb or chicken) or seafood – a prawn guvec is arguably the best.

The translation of this rich aubergine and tomato dish is ‘the priest fainted’ – presumably because it was so delicious. Aubergines are sliced lengthways and stuffed with tomatoes, onions, spices and pine nuts and poached in the oven.

A classic Anatolian dish of tiny dumplings and minced meat (usually lamb) drenched in a thick yoghurt sauce. Top with chilli flakes and dried herbs to really boost the flavour.

A tasty breakfast dish of eggs scrambled with slowly-sauteed peppers and tomatoes, served with hunks of freshly-made bread.

The Turkish equivalent of pizza, a ‘pide salonu’ is a fast-food eaterie, serving up the elongated diamond-shaped flatbreads, filled with all manner of toppings – cheese, tomato and sucuk – a spicy sausage is a popular combination.

The Turkish national drink, raki is a strong, aniseed-flavoured spirit, rather like ouzo. Traditionally drunk in a tall glass, half raki, half water, with plenty of ice, accompanied by strips of cucumber and chunks of feta cheese.

A traditional Turkish breakfast is a great way to start the day; fresh bread, feta cheese, black olives, boiled eggs, cucumber, tomatoes and honey. Best accompanied by ayran, a traditional, salty yoghurt drink.