Aydın Roundabout

Aydın Yuvarlaması is a traditional dish featuring meatballs made from ground beef, served with a yogurt-based sauce, and holds a significant place in Aydın’s culinary culture. A registration file for this product was opened by the Aydın Metropolitan Municipality on 30 September 2021, and it was officially registered on 18 August 2022 by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office as a geographical indication (Registration No: 1198).

• Application Number/Date: C2021/000382, 30 September 2021
• Registration Number/Date: 1198, 18 August 2022
• Type of Geographical Indication: Certain production stages must be carried out within the boundaries of Aydın Province.
• Registered by: Aydın Metropolitan Municipality
• Usage Conditions: The term “Aydın Yuvarlaması” and the geographical indication emblem must appear mandatory on the product or its packaging; if not displayed on the packaging, they must be visibly present at the production facility.

• Main ingredients: Ground beef (from the chuck cut, low-fat, double-ground), egg, dried onion, black pepper, special-purpose wheat flour, and salt.
• Preparation: The meat mixture is kneaded into a dough and shaped by hand into cylindrical meatballs (2–4 cm in length, tapered at both ends).
• Frying: The meatballs are fried in vegetable oil, then simmered again in a sauce made of butter, tomato paste, meat broth or water, and boiled chickpeas.
• Serving: Served with plain or garlic-infused strained yogurt, optionally topped with melted butter and chopped parsley.

According to the geographical indication registration definition, prepared yuvarlamas can be stored in packaged form at 4 °C for up to six months, or unpackaged on display at 6 °C for up to two months; they must not be exposed directly to sunlight.

Chickpeas must be pre-soaked and cooked with careful attention to timing.

The sauce consists of a combination of melted butter, vegetable liquid oil, tomato paste, red pepper, meat broth, and water.

Yuvarlama, as part of Aydın’s wedding cuisine tradition, carries a distinct regional identity through its name; its preparation using traditional methods within the defined geographical boundaries supports cultural continuity.

The preference for Aydın Memecik olive oil's in the recipe demonstrates synergy among local products (the recommended product is the geographical indication-certified Memecik olive oil).