A Stone-Oven Specialty from a Thermal Spa Town
Known for its thermal springs and for hosting Atatürk during a historic stay in the War of Independence, the district of Havza is also one of Samsun's notable culinary destinations. Havza pide is prepared by topping thinly rolled dough with meat, sautéed meat (kavurma) or cheese and baking it in a stone oven - a staple of the district's breakfast and lunch tables.
Preparation
Leavened dough is rolled thin and long, with the edges folded up to form a boat shape. Ground meat, kavurma, peppers and tomatoes, or kaşar cheese, are placed on top. It is baked at high heat in a stone oven until the edges puff up and the base turns crisp.
Local Significance
Intertwined with Havza's thermal spa culture, its pide tradition is a constant fixture on the breakfast tables of visitors. Baking in a stone oven gives the dough its distinctive aroma and a texture that is crisp outside and soft inside - qualities that give Havza pide its own place among Samsun's many district-specific pide varieties.