Oğmaç Soup

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Oğmaç is a classic village soup of Çorum and Central Anatolia: small crumbs of hand-rolled dough simmered in a tomato-paste, buttery broth. Elsewhere in Central Anatolia the same soup is known as ovmaç and uğmaç; the name comes from the Turkish verb “to rub” — the dough is literally rubbed between the fingers. In Çorum, oğmaç is the hearty soup of winter mornings and teatime tables.

How It Is Made

The dish stands on three pantry staples: flour, paste and fat. Flour, salt and a little water are kneaded into a soft dough; pieces of dough are rubbed on a floured surface into pea-sized crumbs. These are dropped into a broth of tomato and pepper paste sautéed in butter and simmered until tender. Dried mint and red pepper flakes give the soup its local character; adding cooked white beans or chickpeas turns it into a full meal.

Place in Çorum

Oğmaç is one of Çorum’s “rescue” dishes: when the pantry runs low or a quick hot dish is needed, it comes straight from the flour bin. In villages, the quality of the butter and the homemade paste determines the flavour. Together with toyga aşı, tutmaç aşı and tatar aşı, oğmaç completes Çorum’s grain-based soup culture.

The same soup travels across Central Anatolia under names like ovmaç, uğmaç and tohmaç — a variety that points to the dish’s old and widespread roots in the region’s grain culture.

Related Flavours

• Toyga Aşı — yogurt soup
• Tutmaç Aşı — dough and yogurt soup
• Tatar Aşı — dumpling and yogurt soup
• Çorum Breakfast — the breakfast culture where such soups appear

🍳 How to make it

Servings: Serves 4-6Time: ~35 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tea glass of flour
• ~3 tbsp water (for a soft dough)
• Salt
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp pepper paste
• 6 cups water or stock
• Dried mint, red pepper flakes
• Optional: cooked white beans or chickpeas

Method

1. Knead flour, salt and a little water into a soft dough; pinch off pieces and rub them between your fingertips on a floured surface into pea-sized crumbs.
2. Melt the butter and sauté the pastes; add the dried mint and cook briefly until fragrant.
3. Pour in the water, bring to a boil and season with salt.
4. Drop the oğmaç crumbs into the boiling broth a little at a time, stirring; simmer 10-12 minutes.
5. If you like, add cooked white beans or chickpeas and simmer 5 more minutes.
6. Serve hot, finished with red-pepper butter.

💡 Tips

• Keep the dough firm rather than sticky, and stir the pot often so the crumbs do not clump.
• Make the pieces neither too big nor too small — they should sit on a spoon like grains.

A traditional recipe; quantities and times are approximate and vary by household.

← All Çorum dishes