Easy Turkish Cheese Borek Recipe
A different borek with baklava phyllo, cheese and sprinkling mineral water.
Servings 9 pieces
Calories 435kcal
Ingredients
- 500 grams ready baklava filo sheets
- 2 eggs
- 150 millilitres sparkling spring water
- 150 grams yogurt
- 125 millilitres sunflower oil divided
- 150 grams mozzarella and/or white cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Preparing the Borek
- Once you open the ready baklava sheets you will notice a nylon sheet that is wrapped around the filos. Open it on your worktop.
- On the nylon sheet lay the first filo.
- Sprinkle with sunflower oil lightly. And using an egg brush spread the oil all around.
- Lay the second filo sheet on top.
- Repeat sprinkling and spreading the sunflower oil.
- Lay down the third layer of filo.
- This time pour about a tablespoon of the spread mix and spread all around the filo with an egg brush.
- Add the fourth layer of filo.
- Again pour about a tablespoon of the spread mix and spread all around the filo with an egg brush.
- Add the fifth layer of filo as the last layer.
- Again pour about a tablespoon of the spread mix and spread all around the filo with an egg brush.
- Then on the narrow side place two tablespoons of grated cheese in a line, leaving about 4 centimetres (1.5 inches) empty in between. Because you will be cutting in half later on, if you do not keep it empty in the middle the cheese might fall off.
- Then gently curl towards the other side. If you slide the nylon sheet, the filo will easily curl.
- The filo will be looking like a garden hose, not too thin or thick. Then cut into half. And make 3 diagonal surface cuts on top of each half with a sharp knife.
- Repeat until all filo and the cheese is finished.
- If the spread mix tends to finish add more sunflower oil.
- Place the curled filo pieces onto a baking dish.
- Continue until all the material is finished.
- Pour the remaining spread mixture on top of each mix, especially on the corners.
- Garnish with nigella seeds and sesame seeds.
- Cook until crispy and golden on all sides, for about 30 minutes, in a pre-heated oven at 200° Celsius (400° F) minutes.
Spread Mixture
- Break the eggs into a measuring jug. Mix well with a wire whisk.
- Add the mineral water and mix again.
- Add 100 milliltres of the sunflower oil and mix again.
- Add the yogurt and mix again. The mixture is ready.
Notes
Once you open the phyllo sheet package always keep the phyllo covered with a clean damp cloth, they become dry very quickly.
The cuts on the top serve for decoration and helping the cheese cook better.
You can prepare this borek with different fillings such as spinach, mushrooms, ground meat and potato.
If there is too much spread mixture on the baking tray, you can either drain it away or go on bake as it is. You can just scrape the baked spread mixture away. The bottom of the borek pieces will brown and be crispy anyway.