<p><p>We have been experimenting with making <a href="https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/borek-recipe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Börek&amp;</a> at home that taste similar to the cornershop version and now we finally feel that we've nailed it. We use Yufka dough which is similar to phyllo dough but a little thicker, so if you use phyllo, you can use double or tripple layers.</p></p>
There is a little cornershop close to where we live that sells beautiful seasonal vegetables, the
freshest bunches of mint and big spice bags with dried whole cumin seeds, fennel, za’atar and coriander. They also sell (very affordable) takeaway boxes with vegetarian food from the Middle East and Eastern Europe which they cook in the shop. They have meze platters, dolma, rice stuffed peppers, lentil balls and zucchini fritters. And to the left of the cashier they also have long cigar shaped hand-pies with a hand written sign above that says Börek. They make new batches a few times every day so if you are lucky you can get them hot off the oven. Crunchy on the outside with burnt edges and gooey, cheesy and stuffed with chard towards the centre. These Börek are famous across the neighborhood and even though the price has doubled in the past five years, it still feels like a bargain to pick up a few pies for us and the kids as a snack (or dinner if you buy a few). It is basically the only time our kids eat chard with a smile.
We have been experimenting with making Börek at home that taste similar to the cornershop version and now we finally feel that we’ve nailed it. We use Yufka dough which is similar to phyllo dough but a little thicker, so if you use phyllo, you can use double or tripple layers.
As a not-so-little bonus we also figured out an easy hack how to make gluten free Börek! The secret is that you can replace the dough with rice paper, that you brush with egg wash and bake in a similar fashion. The signature börek flavor is in the yogurt, oil and egg wash and the rice paper crisps up nicely when baked.
We recorded this video below with some juicy Börek rolling close-ups to further show the process. Check out our YouTube channel for more videos. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chard and Feta Filling
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp cumin
- pinch Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g / 4 handfuls rainbow chard (or swiss chard)
Egg Wash
- 2 eggs
- 250 ml / 1 cup plain unsweetened yogurt 5 Tbsp olive oil
To assemble
- 8 small sheets yufka or 16 sheets phyllo dough (or 8 sheets rice paper)
Instructions
Rainbow Chard & Feta Cheese Börek
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F bake mode and grease a baking tray or line it with parchment paper.
- To make the filling, heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-low heat.
- Finely chop onion and garlic, transfer them to the pan along with cumin and salt and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion begins to soften.
- Chop the chard (finely chop the stalks and coarsely chop the leaves) and add to the pan along with parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper and sauté for a few more minutes or until the chard starts to wilt.
- When the chard is cooked, remove from the heat, stir through the parsley and lemon juice and set aside to cool slightly, before stirring through the feta.
- To prepare the egg wash, crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, and whisk together.
- Add a few tablespoons to the filling and stir around, set aside the rest.
- To assemble, cut the Yufka dough or phyllo dough into 20 cm x 25 cm / 8 inch x 10 inch rectangles and place on a clean work surface.
- Brush the sheet with the egg wash and spread some of the filling out evenly in a line at the bottom of the sheet.
- Fold in the edges and then gently roll the sheet into a log. Repeat with the rest of the sheets and filling.
- Transfer to the tray. Brush the Börek with the last egg wash and bake for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and crunchy.
