Boiled Borek

The name of this borek may sound weird but of course it has a reason. What gives its name is one of the steps of its procedure in which the phyllo dough is boiled in water. That’s why it’s called su boregi (Water Borek). It’s a  more trying work to make this borek unlike the other borek kinds here that can be made with prepackaged phyllo sheets. So it’s better if you can get help from someone making su boregi.

So how did I decide to adventure making this challenging borek? If I hadn’t received a mail from one of my readers asking for a recipe of su boregi, I wouldn’t have even thought of making it. As the comments and requests of my readers are utmost important for me, I started to think on a pleasing reply which ‘must’ include the recipe and a photo. Then I called my life saver (mom) and asked what I should do. She said, “it’s not as troublesome as you think, but we must make it together as it will be the first time for you. So wait until I visit you.”

Su Boregi was one of the pastries we made together and it was a real fun to work with her in the kitchen when she visited us. I thought I would help her making this borek before we started but as an experienced cook she knew how to teach a recipe. I made the difficult steps following her instructions and she helped me. She thinks this is the most effective method to teach someone how to make a new and difficult dish.

Su Böreği
Ingredients
For its dough:
–    10 cups flour
–    1 ¼ cup milk
–    6 eggs
For its filling:
–    500g white cheese (beyaz peynir) or feta cheese
–    Half bunch of parsley
–    ½ cup olive oil
To soak the phyllo dough:
–    3liters water to boil
–    3liters cold water
–    ½ tbsp salt
–    2 tbsp olive oil
For its top:
–    1 egg
–    ¼ cup olive oil
–    ½ cup yogurt
First prepare its filling. Mix chopped parsley and cheese together. You will use the olive oil seperately to oil each layer of phyllo doughs.

Mix the dough ingredients in a bowl and knead it well. Add little flour if necessary. It won’t be so soft. Divide the dough into 10 balls. Put some flour aside on the counter and when rolling the balls out, sprinkle some flour on the dough if you think the dough gets sticky.
Oil the oven tray. It’s better if you have a round tray as it’s easier to arrange the phyllo doughs in a round one. Mine was rectangular.
Lay one phyllo dough in the tray, so we don’t boil the first phyllo. Drizzle some olive oil on it.

Put 3L water in a large pot. Add salt and olive oil and boil it.Put 3L cold water in another large pot.

Put one of the the phyllo doughs first in the boiling water. Boil it for 2 minutes (not more than this!).
Take the dough from the boiling water with the help of a sieve and transfer it into the cold water in another pot. Try to be as quick as you can in this step. Wait it in cold water for a few seconds and take it on a clean kitchen towel to remove the excessive water on it.
Then lay it on the first phyllo dough. Repeat the same steps for 3 more phyllo doughs and don’t forget to drizzle olive oil on each one. Then when you have 5 layers, spread the cheese&parsley mixture evenly.

Don’t worry if you can’t lay the phyllo doughs as a whole, just keep laying the pieces as they will stick when baking.
Then go on doing the same steps for the rest of the phyllo doughs except the last one. You will boil 4 more doughs, but not the fifth one. Lay the fifth dough on the top as it is.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Mix the ingredients for the top sauce until smooth and spread it on the top.  And cook it until its top gets golden.

Cut it in squares before serving.

Note: The steps of boiling and laying the phyllo doughs are made by mom, so this part might be done by the person who helps you.