Borek (Turkish Cheese Pastry)

About This Recipe

Borek (also spelled börek) is perhaps the most beloved pastry in Turkish cuisine, a fried or baked parcel of thin dough filled with savory ingredients like cheese, ground meat, or spinach. The classic version is cheese borek (peynir borek), made from phyllo-like dough (yufka) wrapped around a crumbly white cheese (feta or a Turkish cheese like beyaz peynir) and fresh herbs, then fried until crispy and golden. The borek is served hot, often with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of yogurt. The pastry is so prized in Turkey that regional variations exist — some are rolled into cylinders, some are folded into triangles, some are layered in a baking dish and sliced, and some are cooked in oil, others baked. The filling is always simple — the pastry and cheese are the stars. Borek is served at breakfast, as a snack (meze), at celebrations, and in specialized borek shops (börekçi) where they're made fresh throughout the day. A plate of hot borek with yogurt and lemon is comfort food in Turkey, equally at home on a breakfast table or in the evening with raki (an anise spirit).

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gphyllo pastry sheets (or Turkish yufka if you can find it)
• 300 gcrumbly white cheese (Turkish beyaz peynir or feta)
• 100 gricotta or fresh farmer's cheese (for creaminess)
• 1 small bunchfresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 small bunchfresh mint, finely chopped
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 largeegg, beaten (for sealing)
• 1 pinchsea salt
• 1 pinchfreshly ground black pepper
• for fryingvegetable oil (about 500 ml)
• 1lemon, cut into wedges
• 300 gplain yogurt (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   In a bowl, combine crumbled white cheese, ricotta, fresh dill, mint, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined. The filling should taste herby and salty — taste and adjust. Divide into 12 portions (for 6 large boreks).

2. 2

   Prepare the phyllo

   Remove phyllo from packaging and lay flat on a clean work surface. Cover unused sheets with a damp towel to prevent drying.

3. 3

   Fill and roll

   Take one sheet of phyllo and lay it on the work surface. Place a portion of filling along the bottom edge, leaving a 2 cm border on the sides. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll tightly away from you, creating a cylinder about 12 cm long and 3 cm wide. Seal the seam with a tiny dab of beaten egg.

4. 4

   Repeat

   Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling, working quickly so the dough doesn't dry out. You should have 12 borek rolls.

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Pour vegetable oil into a deep saucepan or pot to a depth of 5 cm. Heat to 160°C (320°F). Use a thermometer — the oil must be hot enough to fry without being so hot it burns the pastry.

6. 6

   Fry the borek

   Carefully place borek rolls into the hot oil, a few at a time. Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden brown on all surfaces. The pastry should sound crispy and be a rich mahogany color. Do not rush or let them brown too quickly. Transfer to paper towels.

7. 7

   Serve hot

   Serve borek immediately while still hot and crispy, with lemon wedges and a small bowl of yogurt. The traditional way to eat is: squeeze lemon on the borek, dip in yogurt, and bite while hot.

Variations

• •

  Spinach and cheese (ispanak borek) — use sautéed spinach (squeezed very dry) mixed with cheese instead of cheese alone.

• •

  Meat borek (kıymalı borek) — use spiced ground lamb or beef mixed with onions instead of cheese.

• •

  Baked borek — brush assembled borek with melted butter and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 25–30 minutes instead of frying (lighter, though less crispy).

• •

  Large layered borek — layer phyllo and filling in a 9x13 inch baking dish, cut into squares, and bake for a less laborious version.

Storage

Unbaked, filled borek can be frozen for up to 3 months — fry from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to cooking time. Cooked borek can be reheated in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5–8 minutes, though they taste best fresh. Do not refrigerate cooked borek; they become soggy quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions