Our national football team had a match with Spain yesterday. We love watching matches with friends, so we called some friends and invited them to watch the match together. They already knew that we’d prepare some food for the night, but this time they had a request from us: Cigarette boreks! Of course we accepted.
They came just before the match began and they all went crazy with the smell of cigarette boreks. They brought several bottles of beer, so we understood that it was a part of their plan. We all agree on cigarette boreks go perfect with cold beer. Although Spanish team defeated with a 2-1 score, we had great time because both teams played well. By the way, I should admit we grabed a cigarette borek each time our players missed a goal. It’s better than cigarette itself at all.
The name of this borek is cigarette just because of its shape. You put some very healthy ingredients in it like cheese and parsley instead of tobacco.
Sigara Boregi
Ingredients
– 3 phyllo sheets
– 1 cup white cheese, crumbled
– Half bunch parsley, chopped
– A very small cup water, just to stick the ends
– ½ cup vegetable oil
Lay the sheets on the counter and cut them into pieces of triangle. You see it in the picture, if you like you can cut them bigger, but originally they are small.
Mix chopped parsley and cheese together. If you like you can add spices you like. We love it plain.
Grab a triangle and put some cheese mixture on the wide side of it. First fold the left and right edges and then roll it up. To stick its end, dip your finger into the water in small cup and rub it on the end of the triangle.
Heat oil in a pan and fry these cigarette boreks until golden brown.
You can serve these crunchy cigarettes as a kind of snack with beer or tea. You can even surprise your family or friends by serving it at breakfast. The sound it makes while eating is as enjoyable as eating it.
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ooo, perfect snack – crunchy and cheesy! Yum!
These would not last long in my home. A nice treat.
what is white cheese?
I like this. reminds me of taquitos but way nicer.
oh, these little beauties would get me in trouble. They look so delicious. I’m bookmarking so may of these for when my hubby comes back.
These look delicious, I love phyllo – so crispy and tasty!
Looks delicious and crispy with few ingredients…
Thank you all for your comments. These cigarette boreks were definitely tasty, they didn’t last long that night.
Lauren- I’m not sure how I can describe white cheese except its color. It’s a very common cow cheese here, I really don’t know how it’s made. But you can use any kind of cheese in these cigarette boreks.
Those sound like an excellent beer snack – I must remember to keep some phyllo pastry on hand!
White cheese is just a milk or butter cheese.
MMMMM…Zerrin!! these rolls look so lovely & yummie: I love it!! Thanks!!
These look delicious! Perfect snacks for watching sports. The filling sounds great.
They look so crispy, flaky and delicious! The perfect snack to munch on!
Hi, Zerrin,
I would love to see a post on greek or turkish cheese.
Is this goat cheese?
Thanks!
Mely
yummy! I’d bet this will also be good as a sweet snack sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Daily Spud – It was absolutely wonderful with beer.
Stru – Thanks for this information.
Sophie- Glad you like it. You can try it with the beer you mentioned in your blog.
lisaiscooking – It is also perfect for watching movies.
Reeni – So crispy…This is the keyword for these rolls.
Mely – You’re right, I understand that I should write a post on Turkish cheese. I’m planning to add it soon.
Sophia- Cinnamon and brown sugar is a wonderful idea! Never thought it, bur I should try. I sometimes eat it dipping into yogurt.
I definitely prefer eating these with cheese rather than tobacco! What a great snack – they remind me (in their shape) of a Filipino appetizer, Lumpia Shanghai, although it’s with meat.
Zerrin, these look wonderful, I think I might make some soon… usually they last about oh, three hours in my house before they are gone!
For all of you not in Turkey, white cheese (beyaz peynir) is a type of sheeps milk (usually) cheese similar to feta.
It’s a little bit softer than feta, and a little bit less tangy. You store it in water, like you would tofu, to release some of the salt. In Turkey it is used in dishes like this one, or even eaten plain for breakfast with some cucumber and tomato.
Some specialty cheese markets, or middle eastern markets will sell it, although if you can’t find it, you can get either Bulgarian feta, or French Valbreso, they are fairly similar.
Love Sigara Boregi! Our son-in-law’s mum was a chef in former Yugoslavia and she even makes her own phyllo dough sheerts. Sometimes she makes the layered types with meat, cheese or potatoes, also the coiled ones.
She usually uses feta cheese, but I think they sometimes use kajmak cheese. I have even made them with kashkaval!
I didn’t know that sigara boregi is known in other parts of the world. I’m sure it is even better when you make the phyllo sheets yourself. You’re lucky to taste the one made by a chef in this way.