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5.0 from 6 votes

Izmir Kumru - Turkish Sandwich

Izmir Kumru - Turkish Sandwich is a very popular street food originating from Çesme, a beautiful Aegean small beach town in İzmir.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 2 sandwiches
Calories: 494 kcal
Course: Main Course , Snacks
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

  • 2 rolls kumru bread or sandwich bun (preferably with sesame seeds)
  • 90 g kasar cheese (thinly sliced)
  • 70 g sucuk (casing removed and thinly sliced)
  • 70 g beef or turkey salami (thinly sliced)
  • 15 g softened butter
  • 1 tomato (thinly sliced)
  • 2 pickled gherkin (thinly sliced)
  • ketchup and mayonnaise (to your taste)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut your sandwich bread in half lengthwise and spread the softened butter.
  2. Grill the bread pieces on a skillet or a heavy-based pan until they are nicely browned and crisped, for about 5 minutes. Set them aside.
  3. Cook the sliced sucuk pieces and salami until crispy and slightly curled on the edges in the same pan.
  4. Remove the sucuk and salami from the pan and transfer them onto a plate. Keep the grease from the sucuk and sausages. They will add flavor to the cheese and prevent them to stick to the pan.
  5. Place the sliced kasar cheese onto the pan and then let them grill until they are lightly browned with the grease from the sucuk and salami.
  6. Flip the cheese slices with a metal spatula and grill for a few more minutes.
  7. When they are lightly browned on both sides, carefully remove the cheeses from the pan and place them on top of the bottom half of the kumru bread. 
  8. Add the sucuk and salami, and then top them with sliced tomatoes along with sliced pickles. 
  9. Garnish with a squeeze of ketchup, and mayonnaise if desired.

Notes

  • If you can't find kumru bread, use a sandwich roll with sesame seeds that is lightly crusty but yielding enough to keep your sandwich fillings safely contained.
  • To get your cheese grilled properly get your grill pan really hot, and make sure there is enough fat to grease the cheese as it cooks.
  • Make sure the tomatoes are ripe and sweet, and you use the right type of cheese. Kasar cheese sears and retains its shape for a short time when given a blast of heat If you can't find kasar cheese, substitute it with provolone or Gruyère. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 494kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 41g (63%) Saturated Fat 20g (100%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 11g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 111mg (37%) Sodium 1142mg (48%) Potassium 316mg (9%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 1276IU (26%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 332mg (33%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2sandwiches

Amount Per Serving

Calories 494

% Daily Value*

Calories 494kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 5g 2%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 41g 63%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 111mg 37%
Sodium 1142mg 48%
Potassium 316mg 7%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 2g 4%
Vitamin A 1276IU 26%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 332mg 33%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.