Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2022/C 433/24)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

‘Antakya Künefesi’

EU No: PGI-TR-02451 - 14/03/2019

PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

2.   Member State or Third Country

Republic of Turkey

3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Type of product

Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Antakya Künefesi’ is one of the few desserts that contain cheese in Turkey. In production, künefelik kadayıf (lightly baked thread like dough for künefe), fresh Antakya künefelik cheese (cheese for künefe), butter and syrup are used. It is obtained by baking künefelik cheese between the two layers of künefelik kadayıf mixed with butter in a flat tray and spreading syrup in the desired sweetness before consumption. The size of the tray depends on the number of servings to be consumed. ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is consumed hot. During the consumption, the cheese is expected to stretch forming the fibers.

‘Antakya Künefesi’ is disk shape dessert with a height of 1-2 cm. The diameter of the dessert depends on the number of portions. It can range from 10 cm up to 50 cm. When baked, upper and lower layers made of mixture of künefelik kadayıf + butter turn to brown colour owing to maillard reaction and forming a cripsy crust. In the meantime, the Antakya künefelik cheese in the middle softens and becomes creepy. After additon of syrup it tastes sweet. ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is served when it is still hot right after addition of syrup. In a raw state (uncooked form), it can be frozen and kept at -18 °C for transportation and distribution.

3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Milk for the production of Antakya künefelik cheese should be obtained from Hatay province. Antakya künefelik cheese acquires its flavor from the milk of cows grazing on rich flora of Hatay regions.

3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The production of ‘künefelik kadayıf’, ‘Antakya künefelik cheese’ and ‘Antakya Künefesi’ must be produced in the geographical area specified in point 4.

3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

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3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The following information must be written or printed legibly and in an indelible manner on the packages of ‘Antakya Künefesi’.

—	trade name and address, short name and address, or registered trade mark of the company,

—	lot number,

—	name of the good – ‘Antakya Künefesi’,

—	net weight,

—	shelf life of unbaked product (one week at refrigerated temperature or six months at -18 °C),

—	must be baked and consumed hot just after syrup is added,

—	following logo:

4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The production region of ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is a Hatay province and its districts (Antakya, Altınözü, Kumlu, Belen, İskenderun, Arsuz, Kırıkhan, Payas, Dörtyol, Hassa, Erzin, Samandağ, Yayladağ, Defne, Reyhanlı). Hatay is a settlement center in the southernmost point of Turkey. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea from the west, Syria from the south and east, Adana from the northwest, Osmaniye from the north and Gaziantep from the northeast.

5.   Link with the geographical area

The link between ‘Antakya Künefesi’ and its geographical area is based on the product reputations, recipe, production skills of künefelik kadayıf, Antakya künefelik cheese and ‘Antakya Künefesi’. The recipe and production skills have been transferred from one generation to next generation based on master-apprenticeship relationship. There are some crucial points to maintain a certain quality of the product. For instance, adjusting the thickness of künefelik kadayıf and its texture during rapid baking on a rotating tray requires some certain skills. Also, the creeping properties of Antakya künefelik cheese is determined during cheese production. These skills are acquired after a certain level of experience/mastership is reached under the watch of a master. Two ingredients künefelik kadayıf and Antakya künefelik cheese must be produced in the defined region.

Antakya künefelik cheese acquires its flavor from the milk of cows grazing on rich flora of Hatay regions. There are approximately 2 000 plants, 300 of which are recorded as endemic. The endemic plants of the regions, particularly zahter (wild thyme), is believed to be contributing to künefelik cheese flavor. In order to preserve and display this richness Hatay governor built a museum, Museum of Aromatic and Endemic Plants, in 2017.

The cheese used in the production of ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is very unique in that it is a cheese produced exclusively for the künefe and known as künefelik cheese. The most distinctive features of Antakya künefelik cheese are that it is produced from raw cow’s milk, has an elastic texture and so-called ‘chicken breast’ structure with a pH of 4,9-5,2. It has creep properties at the temperatures above 65 °C. The distinctive and functional characteristic of the cheese is that it stretches inside Antakya Künefe and exhibits a fibrous structure when heated.

There are documents dating back to 18th century Islamic Records indicating the presence of künefe making (at that time only the word of künefe was used) was classified as a profession in Antakya (Gül, 2008.117). From 18th century to 20th century, there have been information on künefe and künefe pricing, classification as a professional group, items used for künefe and their inheritance mentioned in the documents in different years. For example, in Antakya, Islamic Records no. 50 (1898-1901), Künefe tray is counted among some of the goods, clothes and household goods in Antakya.

Information about the establishment of Künefeciler Square in 1930s, was once mentioned in the book by Boyacı, H. titled ‘From Antakya to Hatay 1870-1976’. There the two brothers selling Antakya Künefesi who served the people of Antakya in the place known as Köprübaşı between 1935-1960. Since their skin is black, they were renowned for their nickname ‘Arab’. Again, Antakya Künefesi Seller Hacı Arab is a very famous künefe master between 1940-1950 in the shop no. 153 located in Uzun Çarşı, which is a bakery today (Nakim, B. 2012).

In a newspaper column dated 27 September 1973, Süleyman Okay, who is known as Abbuş Usta, gives the definition of Antakya Künefe with cheese in detail (Okay, 2009).

In Kemal Karaömeroğlu’s ‘Hatay Tourism Guide’ published in 1971 (p. 29-31), steak tartar balls, eel, and ground meat and burghul burger and künefe as dessert are among the dishes of Antakya Cuisine. In the 50th anniversary of the Republic in 1973, Hatay was named ‘Antakya Künefesi’ in the province yearbook. ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is mentioned on the page 129 of ‘Economic and Social Tourism Activities in Antakya’ published by İnayet İnsel in 1976.

Each year Antakya festival is organized by Hatay Metropolitan Municipality due to the year of Hatay’s accession to the homeland, the longest ‘Antakya Künefesi’ is prepared during the festival and it is made 1 meter longer each year. In 2019, ‘Antakya Künefesi’ reached the length of 81 metres.

Reference to publication of the specification

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(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.