View source for Kesme

{{Refimprove|date=July 2009}}
{{Infobox prepared food
| name             = Kesme
| image            = [[File:Bowl of kesme 2.jpg|250px]]
| caption          = A bowl of kesme in broth
| alternate_name   = Kespe
| country          = 
| region           = 
| creator          = 
| course           = 
| type             = [[Noodle]]
| served           = 
| main_ingredient  = [[Flour]], [[water]], [[salt]], an [[Egg (food)|egg]]
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| other            = 
}}
[[File:Kesme.JPG|thumb|Kesme]]
'''Kesme''' ({{lang-ky|кесме}}, {{IPA-ky|kesmé|}}) or '''kespe''' ({{lang-kk|кеспе}}, {{IPA-kk|ki̯ɘspi̯ɘ́|}}), {{lang-az|əriştə}}, {{lang-fa|رشته}}, {{lang-tr|erişte}} or ''kesme''<ref>http://www.nefisyemektarifleri.com/kars-kesme-asi/</ref>) is a traditional [[Central Asia]]n [[noodle]] dish made by the [[Kyrgyz people|Kyrgyz]] and the [[Kazakhs]]. The word itself is a [[nominalisation]] of the verb ''to cut'' or ''to slice'', referring to the slicing of the [[dough]] involved in preparing the noodles. The term may refer to the noodles themselves, or the prepared dish made with them. Kesme is primarily a home-made dish, and not often found at [[restaurants]] or [[café]]s.

'''Reshte'''('''h''') ({{lang-fa|رشته}}) are Persian style [[noodle]]s used in [[soup]]s, mixed with rice in [[pilaf]] or made into desserts like [[faloodeh]], similar to [[capellini]] (angel hair pasta). However, it generally means a fresh (as opposed to dry) ribbon shaped egg noodle. Traditionally the noodle would be a homemade and cut item. "''Reshteh''" was the only word used to denote noodles in [[Arab]] cookbooks of the 13th and 14th centuries.  Special symbolism is given to dishes that contain noodles when a decision of importance or change is to occur; the noodles or "reins" of one's life are to be taken in hand. A traditional dish in [[Iran]] is ''reshteh polow'' or [[pilaf]], which is served during the [[Persian calendar|Persian new year]] with the noodles representing the threads of life and family intertwined.  Noodles are used for special occasion dishes in giving thanks and for journeys especially to [[Mecca]]. Typical preparation is for the noodles to broken into parts, fried or grilled brown and then added to rice.

The reshteh used currently in the [[Iranian cuisine]] is actually a thicker type of noodle, used in ''reshteh polow'' and in ''[[ash reshteh]]''.

In [[Turkey]], kesme is known as "erişte", and eaten generally in winter.<ref>http://www.kha.com.tr/guncel/9462-Kars%E2%80%99ta-eriste-gunleri.html</ref> It is made from flour, egg, water, salt and milk. These ingredients are worked into a dough, which is rolled out, cut, and dried in the sun or an oven after dried for a day.<ref>http://sevgidenesintiler.blogspot.com/2010/09/kslk-eriste-yapm.html</ref>

== Preparation ==
The [[dough]] for kesme usually consists of [[flour]], [[water]], [[salt]], and an [[egg (food)|egg]].  The dough is rolled out into a large thin circle, and left to dry for a while.  It is then lightly floured, folded over several times accordion-style, and sliced into strips, which are then separated. The process has been illustrated, step by step.<ref>[http://almostturkish.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/turkish-egg-noodle-eriste.html Turkish Egg Noodle / Erişte]</ref> The kesme may be boiled immediately in a [[shorpo|broth]] often containing ingredients such as [[potato]]es, [[meat]], [[carrot]]s, [[capsicum|peppers]], and [[tomato]]es, or left to harden and stored.  Kesme is often made in a [[Kazan (cookware)|kazan]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Bowl of kesme.jpg|A bowl of kesme in broth
File:Drying kesme noodles.jpg|Kesme noodles, laid out to dry
File:Faloodeh.jpg|Traditional [[Shiraz]] dessert - [[Faloodeh]]
File:Kesme being cut.jpg|Kesme dough being cut into noodles
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Lamian|Lagman]] - A similar Central Asia noodle dish, made by stretching the dough instead of cutting it, associated with the traditionally sedentary [[Uyghurs]] and [[Uzbeks]].
*[[Pasta]]
*[[Noodle]]
*[[Chinese noodles]]
*[[Cup noodles]]
*[[Frozen noodles]]
*[[Instant noodles]]
*[[Japanese noodles]]
*[[Korean noodles]]
*[[Pancit|Philippine noodles (pancit)]]
*[[Shirataki noodles]]
*[[Thukpa|Tibetan noodles]]
*[[Vietnamese noodles]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999), "Reshteh", pp.&nbsp;659–660.

{{noodle}}
{{Cuisine of Turkey}}

[[Category:Central Asian cuisine]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani cuisine]]
[[Category:Kyrgyz cuisine]]
[[Category:Turkish cuisine]]
[[Category:Azerbaijani cuisine]]
[[Category:Iranian cuisine]]
[[Category:Noodle dishes]]