what did ottoman empire do in world war one?

At first, they fought several stunning defensive battle against the allies. However, when they went on the offensive, luck didn't seem to be on their side. The battle of Gallipoli, in which Britain tried to attack the Ottomans, turned into a surprising victory for the Turks, as everyone expected the "sick man of Europe" to roll over once faced with a real foe. The Turks, seeing the advancing Russians, took to persecuting the Orthodox people's living within their lands, due to the belief that they could be fifth columnists that would support their christian brethren invading from Russia. This lead to the Armenian Genocide, which Turkey to this day refuses to admit to.

No one ever talks about the war in Africa either and rarely about the war in Italy or Russia.

The Caucasus Campaign (basically Russia vs Ottomans), the Sinai, Persia, Palestine, Mesopotamia and (well-known) Gallipoli campaigns as well as the Arab Revolt (well-known in the west due to one man T.E. Lawrence, but far more significant to subsequent events).

Kept the central powers from having to fight on multiple fronts.