Basma

Başma (Bursa Stretched Cheese Dessert)

A signature sweet of Bursa in northwest Turkey, başma turns fresh teleme (or a similar unsalted white cheese) into glossy, sugar-silk strands that are shaped, chilled and dusted with pistachio. Served cold with a glass of cold milk or a slice of fresh bread, it sits somewhere between a confection and a cheese pastry.

Prep

40 min

Cook

30 min

Total

70 min

Serves

6 to 8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh unsalted white cheese (teleme, lor or very fresh ricotta), Traditional teleme is a brined curd cheese; for a safe home version, drain very fresh, unaged ricotta overnight in cheesecloth and discard the whey - teleme itself should not be eaten raw from home brining unless you are experienced, so a pasteurised-milk fresh cheese is the safer stand-in.
• •350 g (1¾ cups) granulated sugar
• •60 g (½ cup) fine semolina (or fine farina)
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter
• •60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk or single (light) cream
• •1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• •40 g (⅓ cup) ground pistachio, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 Drain the cheese: place 500 g fresh unsalted white cheese in a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, until very firm. Squeeze gently to remove any remaining whey. (Teleme is a brined curd cheese; do not substitute a hard, aged brined cheese - you need a soft, fresh unsalted curd.)
2. 2 In a heavy-bottomed non-stick pan over low heat, melt 30 g butter. Add the drained cheese and, using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, mash and knead it into the butter for 5–7 minutes until completely smooth and glossy.
3. 3 Sprinkle in 60 g semolina a little at a time, stirring constantly, and cook 3–4 minutes to take the raw flour taste off - the mixture will look slightly grainy and pull away from the sides.
4. 4 Add 350 g sugar and 60 ml milk (or cream). Increase the heat to medium-low and stir continuously for 10–12 minutes. The mixture will loosen, bubble, then suddenly come together into a shiny, very stretchy mass that follows the spoon and leaves the pan clean. If using vanilla, stir in 1 tsp at the end.
5. 5 Work quickly while the cheese mass is hot and pliable: lightly wet your hands with cold water (the mixture is extremely hot - keep a bowl of iced water nearby and re-wet hands between portions) and pull off tablespoon-sized pieces.
6. 6 Stretch each piece by pulling it gently between your fingertips into glossy strands, then pile and twist the strands into a small mound, a short roll, or a flattened loaf about 5 cm (2 in) long. Place on a tray lined with parchment. The internal temperature of the worked cheese should reach at least 74 °C / 165 °F during cooking - this is the safe target for a hot-held dairy confection.
7. 7 Chill the shaped başma in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until firm enough to handle.
8. 8 Just before serving, dust generously with 40 g ground pistachio. Serve cold, with a small glass of cold milk or a slice of fresh white bread on the side, the traditional Bursa way.