Borek are traditional Turkish pastries, cigar shaped and filled with cheese and herbs. The pastry around the outside is crisp and the inside is salty, fresh with herb and soft. I love them served with Tzatziki, a yoghurt dip with cucumber and mint, or just with plain unsweetened yoghurt. Although you can buy them ready made in Middle Eastern supermarkets, and most restaurants in Turkey serve them as standard, they are really easy to make yourself at home. Give it a go.
Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4):
Yufka pastry sheets (1 pack is more than enough) or filo pastry sheets
300g feta cheese
1 egg, beaten and divided in 2 portions
1 handful of mint, chopped (no stalks)
½ handful of coriander, chopped (you can use the stalks)
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Water (for sealing the borek)
Ingredients (Serves 4):
Yufka pastry sheets (1 pack is more than enough) or filo pastry sheets
300g feta cheese
1 egg, beaten and divided in 2 portions
1 handful of mint, chopped (no stalks)
½ handful of coriander, chopped (you can use the stalks)
Juice of half a lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Water (for sealing the borek)
Method:
1. Preheat an oven to 220 Celsius
2. Place the cheese, herbs and half the egg in a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add the lemon juice and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper.
3. Cut the pastry into triangles by slicing into 2 long rectangles and then slicing each rectangle diagonally repeatedly to get many even thin triangles – like slices of pizza in shape and about 2 inches wide (at the base of the triangle).
4. If you’re using filo, use three layers as it is very thin. Lay one triangle (or 3 stacked on top of each other if filo) in front of you, with the base of the triangle away from you and the pointy end closest to you. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling at the base end and roll the base end up and over it, then roll it up to the pointy end, flattening it a bit as you go and rolling it into a thin cigar shape.
5. Seal by wetting the pointy tip and pressing it onto the cigar. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat.
6. Brush each cigar with the other half of the beaten egg completely. Then brush with olive oil.
7. Bake for around 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on it for this after about 12 minutes. Serve warm, with tzatziki or a plain unsweetened natural yoghurt dip.
1. Preheat an oven to 220 Celsius
2. Place the cheese, herbs and half the egg in a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Add the lemon juice and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper.
3. Cut the pastry into triangles by slicing into 2 long rectangles and then slicing each rectangle diagonally repeatedly to get many even thin triangles – like slices of pizza in shape and about 2 inches wide (at the base of the triangle).
4. If you’re using filo, use three layers as it is very thin. Lay one triangle (or 3 stacked on top of each other if filo) in front of you, with the base of the triangle away from you and the pointy end closest to you. Place 1 tablespoon of the filling at the base end and roll the base end up and over it, then roll it up to the pointy end, flattening it a bit as you go and rolling it into a thin cigar shape.
5. Seal by wetting the pointy tip and pressing it onto the cigar. Place onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat.
6. Brush each cigar with the other half of the beaten egg completely. Then brush with olive oil.
7. Bake for around 15 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on it for this after about 12 minutes. Serve warm, with tzatziki or a plain unsweetened natural yoghurt dip.
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