Flatzel Thins

Flatzel Thins are crispy pretzels flavored with tangy sour cream and chive. While sour-cream-and-onion-flavor might remind you of American chips, it’s actually a familiar flavor profile in Türkiye as well as the broader Middle East. Sour cream is not common in Türkiye, but Turkish yogurt and labneh (which is similar to yogurt but thicker) are very close alternatives. Yogurt and labneh made their way to Türkiye from the Central Asian Steppes via ancient nomadic tribes. These communities relied heavily on dairy products but needed ways to preserve them and keep them from spoiling too quickly. Yogurt is made by fermenting milk and likely emerged as a means of preserving dairy. Sour cream emerged in a similar way to yogurt and its origins can be traced to Eastern Europe. Since the two are so similar, these chips would be delicious dipped in Turkish labneh mixed with salt and olive oil.