Making Erişte (Kesme) Pasta, or Turkish Egg Noodles, is all about simplicity, tradition, and creating something delicious for loved ones. They are perfect as a hearty main dish or a complementary side to Easy Air Fryer Lamb Rib Chops!
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Erişte, also known as Kesme, is a little slice of Anatolian tradition you can enjoy right at home, and it’s easier than you might think. These hand-cut noodles have been a staple in Turkish kitchens for generations. My mom still prepares them every late summer, and I’m thrilled to share her recipe with you.
What Exactly Is Erişte?
Eriste, or Kesme, is a traditional Turkish noodle made from a simple dough of flour, milk, water, eggs, and salt. It’s rolled out thin, sliced into strips, and then dried for storage. These noodles are hearty, full of texture, and versatile enough to work in dozens of different recipes. From buttery side dishes to rich soups, erişte is a fantastic pantry staple that’s packed with homemade charm.
For many families, making erişte is more than just preparing food; it’s a group effort. Friends and neighbors often come together to knead, roll, and cut the dough in big batches. Once the erişte is dried, it’s stored and used throughout the year, especially during colder months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Ingredients for Eriste Dough
- Flour - Regular all-purpose flour is perfect, though some prefer mixing in semolina for a different texture.
- Eggs - They’re what give erişte its structure and richness. I prefer using free-range eggs with deep yellow yolks.
- Milk - Full-fat or semi-skimmed milk mixed with water help bring the dough together.
- Semolina - It prevents the dough from sticking together while cutting. I mix it with an equal amount of plain flour and use it generously when cutting the pasta.
Ingredients for Cooking Eriste
- Butter - I use good quality salted or unsalted butter to add extra richness to eriste pasta.
- Cheese - I use crumbled feta cheese but you can use your favorite cheese you would normally add to your pasta dishes.
- Walnuts - They add nuttiness and extra crunchy texture to this delicious Turkish egg noodles - eriste pasta!
How to Make Turkish Egg Noodles - Erişte Pasta from Scratch?
Making this delicious Turkish Egg Noodles recipe at home is fairly easy and straightforward. However, you need to follow a few simple steps and tips to achieve the best results:
Prepare the Dough
Combine your flour, eggs, salt, milk, and water in a large mixing bowl.
Work the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, which might take about 10–15 minutes of kneading.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a dump cloth and let them rest for 15-20 minutes.
Roll the dough into thin sheets on a generously floured surface. Aim for a thickness of about 1-2 millimetres—thin but sturdy.
Transfer the rolled out pastries on clean sheets and let them dry for a couple of hours before cutting into thin strips.
Cut the Dough into Strips
Mix together 2 cups of semolina with 2 cups of plain flour. Sprinkle your worktop with generous amount of semolina mixture and layer a piece of rolled out sheet.
Sprinkle on some more semolina mixture and layer another sheet on top. You will have 2 rolled out pastry sheets on top of each other and a generous amount of flour in between.
Cut the pastries in halves, which will give you 4 layers of pastries. Make sure between the layers are generously sprinkled with flour before proceeding to cut them into strips. First, cut the dough into 1.5" (3-4 cm) wide strips.
And then stack a few strips together and cut them into matchstick size strips.
Separate the ones that are stick together and lay them out on clean cloths or trays. Let them dry completely in a cool, airy space before transferring to an airtight container. This might take 2 to 3 days, depending on the weather.
How to Cook Eriste Noodles?
Boil eriste in lightly salted water for 20-25 minutes until they are softened, then drain.
In a large pan, melt the butter, season with salt, pepper, and chili, and toss in the cooked noodles.
Sprinkle on the cheese and crushed walnuts on top and serve warm.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Make sure to knead the dough for eriste until it’s smooth and elastic, which might take 10-12 minutes!
- Separate the noodles right after cutting them if there are any stuck ones. It will be impossible to separate them when they are dry.
- Let them dry completely in a cool, airy space before storing them in a glass jar or airtight container.
- Thicker noodles take longer to cook but have a chewier bite, while thinner noodles cook quickly and soak up sauces more easily.
- Some people like to toast erişte in a bit of butter before boiling. This gives the noodles a nutty flavor and golden color.
- Turkish cooking loves butter for a reason—it adds richness that makes erişte shine.
- When cooking and seasoning eriste, add salt with caution as the dough already contains some salt!
Serving Ideas for Erişte
These noodles are a blank canvas, ready to soak up all kinds of flavors. Here are a few popular ways to enjoy them:
Butter and Cheese
The most traditional way is to toss cooked erişte with melted butter and sprinkle over a generous amount of feta or Turkish white cheese. It’s simple, quick, and unbelievably good. Detailed full recipe is above in the blog post and in the recipe card!
With Yogurt Sauce
Just like Turkish Manti Dumplings and Kıymalı Makarna - Turkish Pasta with Ground Beef, top the noodles with a garlicky yogurt sauce and drizzle some spiced melted butter on top. Add a sprinkle of dried mint or chili flakes to finish the dish.
In Soup
Cook erişte in chicken or vegetable broth for a comforting, hearty soup such as Mediterranean Lentil Soup. Add shredded chicken or chickpeas to make it more filling.
Mixed with Vegetables
Sautéed veggies like peppers, zucchini, or mushrooms pair beautifully with erişte. A handful of chopped parsley or dill gives it a fresh finish.
Recipe FAQs
Erişte has a firmer texture and is traditionally made with eggs, giving it a richer flavor than most store-bought pastas.
If stored in an airtight container, it can last up to six months in a cool, dry place.
Related Recipes
For more delicious traditional Turkish recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this traditional Turkish Egg Noodles - Erişte Pasta recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Turkish Egg Noodles - Erişte Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
Eriste Dough
- 5 eggs
- 2200 g plain white flour / all purpose flour
- 500 ml milk (full-fat or semi-skimmed)
- 450 ml water
- 70 g salt
Rolling out the Dough
- 2 cups plain white flour / all purpose flour
- 2 cups semolina
For Cooking Eriste Pasta
- 400 g eriste
- water for boiling pasta
- 50 g butter
- 30 g walnuts
- 30 g feta (crumbled)
- salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
Instructions
Preparing the Dough
- Combine your flour, eggs, salt, milk, and water in a large mixing bowl.
- Work the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, which might take about 10–15 minutes of kneading.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a dump cloth and let them rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Roll the dough into thin sheets on a generously floured surface. Aim for a thickness of about 1-2 millimetres—thin but sturdy.
- Transfer the rolled out pastries on clean sheets and let them dry for a couple of hours before cutting into thin strips.
Cutting the Dough into Strips
- Mix together 2 cups of semolina with 2 cups of plain flour.
- Sprinkle your worktop with generous amount of semolina mixture and layer a piece of rolled out sheet. Sprinkle on some more semolina mixture and layer another sheet on top. You will have 2 rolled out pastry sheets on top of each other and a generous amount of flour in between.
- Cut the pastries in halves, which will give you 4 layers of pastries. Make sure between the layers are generously sprinkled with flour before proceeding to cut them into strips.
- First, cut the dough into 1.5" (3-4 cm) wide strips. And then stack a few strips together and cut them into matchstick size strips.
- Separate the ones that are stick together and lay them out on clean cloths or trays.
- Let them dry completely in a cool, airy space before transferring to an airtight container. This might take 2 to 3 days, depending on the weather.
Cooking Eriste Noodles
- Boil eriste in lightly salted water for 20-25 minutes until they are softened, then drain.
- In a large pan, melt the butter, season with salt, pepper, and chili, and toss in the cooked noodles.
- Sprinkle on the cheese and crushed walnuts on top and serve warm.
Notes
- Make sure to knead the dough for eriste until it’s smooth and elastic, which might take 10-12 minutes!
- Separate the noodles right after cutting them if there are any stuck ones. It will be impossible to separate them when they are dry.
- Let them dry completely in a cool, airy space before storing them in a glass jar or airtight container.
- Thicker noodles take longer to cook but have a chewier bite, while thinner noodles cook quickly and soak up sauces more easily.
- Some people like to toast erişte in a bit of butter before boiling. This gives the noodles a nutty flavor and golden color.
- Turkish cooking loves butter for a reason—it adds richness that makes erişte shine.
- When cooking and seasoning eriste, add salt with caution as the dough already contains some salt!
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