Besides its seemingly endless natural wonders, the area around Guba, in North Azerbaijan, is also widely known for its delectable sweets – bukma and pakhlava. These local gems are prepared in all small sweet shops in Guba. Beyond the pleasure of tasting these delightful bites, masterclasses on local cuisine are also available in Guba. Try to cook the famous Guba pakhlava, composed of layers of dough made from wheat flour called “irishta”, with syrup and honey poured on top, and decorated with walnuts. The preparation of bukma uses much the same ingredients, but differs in its shape and softer texture. To see how they are prepared, visit local establishments in the city center that offer special masterclasses for tourists. These are organized by Guba Regional Tourism Office or independently by special instructors. Guba pakhlava consists of 45-50 pieces of noodles. 25 layers of noodles are topped with chopped walnuts. Then 25 layers of noodles are placed on top of each other, then they are painted and cut into rhombuses, and walnuts are topped with each pakhlava and baked into the oven for 20 minutes.
