This borek is really easy to prepare. Actually it was easier to prepare it then to write this post, the recipe and take pictures. The best part of it is; you can prepare it and keep it in the fridge for sudden guests.
To start with you need some space to lay down the yufka. I hope you can find good yufka in your surroundings. In Istanbul I always tell my friends not to buy packed yufka if possible. The best yufka can be found in little yufka shops you can come accross in almost every neighborhood. The yufka makes a huge difference. It should be fresh, edible as it is, soft, whole, round; I like to eat it as it is – so my mouth is already watering. If you are buying packages filo sheets, increase the amount of liquid spread, add some water for instance to make it softer.
Spread open your yufka in your working place. And spread some yogurt, egg, olive oil mixture and mashed potato, white cheese, chopped parsley, spices mixture on top. Do not put any of the potato mixture on the sides. Repeat the same for 2 more times to finish all the material and the yufka.
When you are finished curl the corners to obtain a rectangular shape before starting to roll. If your filo sheet is already rectangular, skip this step.
Then gently start rolling starting from the corner nearest to you. Do not make your roll too tight or too loose. It will be quite large roll, do not worry, this is how it should be. You can do this recipe also with 4 layers of yufka, but 3 layers of yufka make it just right for me.
Now cut 3 centimetres (a little more than an inch) thick slices and place them on your oven tray or pack them up to keep in your freezer.
Sprinkle some grated fresh cheese on top and cook at 180° Celsius (350° F) for about 20 minutes.
Serve warm. If, by any chance, you have left overs keep in the fridge and heat up before serving again.
Enjoy with a cup of tea.
Potato Roll Borek
Ingredients
Main ingredient
- 3 yufka / filo sheets
For the filling
- 2 potatoes large
- ½ teaspoon salt for boiling potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon yogurt plain
- 150 grams white cheese grated
- 25 grams parsley half a bunch, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt for the stuffing
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cummin
The spread mixture
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons yogurt plain
- 50 grams olive oil
For the top
- 50 grams hard fresh yellow cheese grated
Instructions
For the inside
- Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Also add half a teaspoon of salt. Adding salt will make the potatoes more delicious and also prevent them to spread around in pieces. When the potatoes are boiled – you can check by sticking a knife into them if they are no longer hard in the middle, you will know that they are ready – grate them.
- Add two tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of yogurt while the potatoes are still warm and mix well.
- Grate the cheese and add.
- Add also chopped parsley and the spices. Adjust spices according to your taste.
The spread mixture
- Mix the egg, yogurt and the olive oil, in a bowl with a wire whisk.
Preparing the Borek
- Open and lay down the first yufka sheet on your working space. Spread some of the spread mixture with a egg brush. Add one third of the potato mixture on top. Do not put any in the sides.
- Lay down the second yufka on top of the potatoes and repeat the same brushing and potato spreading.
- Lay down the last yufka and repeat the same brushing and potato spreading. Finish all the spread mixture and the potatoes.
- Curl the yufka from four sides to turn it into a rectangular if using round filo sheets.
- Start rolling from the end that is closest to you. Do not squeeze too much, but the roll should not be too loose either.
- It is a good time to put on your oven to 180° Celsius.
- Spread oil on your oven tray with an egg brush or spread an oven paper on your tray.
- Cut 3 centimetres thick slices from the roll and place them flat side by side on your oven tray.
- Sprinkle some grated fresh yellow cheese.
- Cook until the cheese on top melts and becomes golden on the bottom and the top. This will take about 20 minutes.