Sigara Boregi (Turkish Cheese Rolls)

About This Recipe

Sigara boregi, named for their cigar-like shape, are one of Turkey's most popular fried appetizers -- thin sheets of yufka (Turkish phyllo) wrapped tightly around a filling of crumbled feta, egg, and parsley, then fried until golden and shatteringly crisp. They're a fixture of Turkish meze spreads, served alongside raki (Turkey's anise spirit) at gatherings, and just as commonly made at home as an after-school snack or party appetizer. The technique lies almost entirely in the rolling: yufka or phyllo sheets are cut into triangles or strips, a small amount of filling placed at one end, and rolled tightly into a thin cigar shape, with the final edge sealed using a flour-water paste to keep it from unraveling in hot oil. Rolling tight is essential -- a loosely rolled boregi will burst open while frying, losing its filling into the oil. Served hot, straight from the fryer, sigara boregi are eaten by hand in a couple of crunchy bites, and their appeal is entirely textural: a shattering, blistered phyllo shell giving way to warm, salty, herby melted cheese inside.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 10 sheetsyufka or phyllo dough
• 200 gfeta cheese(crumbled)
• 1egg(for filling)
• 0.33 cupfresh parsley(chopped)
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspflour(mixed with 3 tbsp water, for sealing)
• 3 cupsneutral oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   Mash feta with egg, parsley, and black pepper until well combined into a spreadable paste.

2. 2

   Cut the dough

   Cut yufka or phyllo sheets into triangles (or long rectangular strips, depending on sheet size).

3. 3

   Fill and roll

   Place a small spoonful of filling near the wide end of each triangle. Fold the sides in and roll tightly toward the point into a thin cigar shape.

4. 4

   Seal

   Brush the flour-water paste on the final edge to seal the roll closed.

5. 5

   Fry

   Heat oil to 175C/350F. Fry rolls in batches, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until deep golden and crisp on all sides.

6. 6

   Drain and serve

   Drain on paper towels briefly and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  Kiymali sigara boregi: use a spiced ground beef filling instead of cheese for a heartier version.

• •

  Bake instead of fry at 200C/400F for 15-18 minutes, brushed with oil, for a lighter alternative.

• •

  Add finely chopped dill or mint to the cheese filling for extra herbaceousness.

Storage

Best eaten hot and fresh, as they lose crispness quickly. Refrigerate unfried, assembled rolls up to 1 day and fry just before serving, or freeze uncooked rolls up to 1 month and fry directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two.

Frequently Asked Questions