The history of Turkish food culture dates back to ancient times. During that time, many dishes were created by combining ingredients such as meat, fish or vegetables with bread, grains, fruits, nuts, spices, herbs, etc., thus creating new recipes. These early dishes are still popular today. Kofte, for example, an appetizer of ground lamb or beef mixed with bulgur, is one of these traditional dishes. Another dish, baklava, originated around the year 1000 AD when Armenians living under Byzantine rule began baking phyllo dough into thin sheets and then topping them with walnuts and sesame seeds soaked in honey. This dessert spread throughout Anatolia and eventually became part of the national diet. Even today, baklava is an integral part of weddings and holidays.