Turkish Su Böreği — Refika-Inspired

About This Recipe

This recipe is inspired by Chef Refika Birgül's patient, ingredient-curious approach to Turkish home cooking and her widely watched YouTube tutorials on regional Turkish pastries. Su böreği — literally 'water pastry' — is one of Turkey's defining cheese pastries: layers of homemade yufka are briefly boiled (yes, boiled) before being layered with a feta-parsley filling and butter, then baked golden. The boil is what gives it the unique tender, almost noodle-like texture that distinguishes it from Greek or Levantine cheese pastries. This is our take on the home tradition Refika has done so much to preserve and globalise.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 12 sheetsyufka or phyllo pastry(30cm round, fresh if possible)
• 300 gTurkish white cheese (beyaz peynir)(or feta, crumbled)
• 1 bunchfresh flat-leaf parsley(very finely chopped)
• 200 gunsalted butter(melted, divided)
• 200 mlmilk
• 3large eggs
• 1 tbspsalt(for the boiling water)
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1 egg yolkfor the wash

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the cheese filling

   Mash the cheese with a fork until crumbly. Mix in the parsley and 1 egg. Set aside.

2. 2

   Make the wash mixture

   In a large bowl, whisk the milk, remaining 2 eggs, 100g of melted butter, the olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. This is your dipping wash.

3. 3

   Boil the yufka — the magic step

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Working with one yufka sheet at a time, lower it into the boiling water for 10–15 seconds until just softened. Lift out and immediately plunge into the ice water for 5 seconds. Drain on a clean towel.

   This brief boil is what makes su böreği unique — it gives the tender, noodle-like texture.

4. 4

   Layer the pastry

   Brush a 30cm round baking tin with melted butter. Lay 2 boiled yufka sheets in the tin, overlapping slightly. Brush with the milk-egg wash. Repeat with 4 more sheets, washing between each. Spread the cheese-parsley filling evenly. Continue with 6 more layers of boiled yufka, washing each one. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter and the egg yolk.

5. 5

   Bake until golden

   Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and the top is crisp. Rest 10 minutes before cutting into squares or wedges.

Variations

• •

  Spinach Variation: add 200g sautéed spinach to the cheese filling.

• •

  Minced Meat Filling: substitute spiced ground beef and onion for a heartier version (kıymalı su böreği).

Storage

Keeps refrigerated for 2–3 days. Reheat covered in a moderate oven for 10 minutes — never microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions