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–+ servings
Cheese borek sliced in squares in a baking pan.
5 from 3 votes

Turkish Borek with Spinach and Cheese

This Turkish börek is made with layers of phyllo dough, a yogurt and egg sauce, and a delicious filling of spinach, fresh herbs and cheese. It comes out soft and full of flavor, perfect for breakfast, brunch or a savory snack.
Yields: 9 servings
PREP 15 minutes
COOK 40 minutes
TOTAL 55 minutes

Video

INGREDIENTS
 

For The Yogurt Sauce:

  • 3 medium eggs
  • 400 g (1¾ cups) yogurt, 14 oz
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil

For The Filling:

  • 250 g (9 oz) spinach, chopped
  • 25 g (¼ cup) fresh dill, chopped
  • 50 g (⅓ cup) parsley, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 100 g (¾ cup) grated mozzarella, or Turkish kasar cheese, 4 oz
  • 200 g (1⅓ cups) feta cheese, crumbled, 7 oz
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Borek:

  • 12 sheets phyllo / filo pastry, Turkish baklava yufkasi
  • 2 tablespoons nigella seeds, or sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS
 

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt and olive oil. Put it aside.
  • In another bowl, combine spinach, dill, parsley, green onions, cheeses, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put it aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Brush the bottom and edges of a 9x13-inch (23x33) pan with oil.
  • Cut the phyllo sheets so that they fit in your baking pan. 
  • Cover them with a damp kitchen towel. Keep the remaining filo sheets under it every time you take one. This will prevent the sheets from drying out.
  • Line the first phyllo sheet in a greased pan. Using a brush, spread 2-3 tablespoon yogurt mixture on it. Fold the edges to the center. It doesn't have to look perfect.
  • Place the second phyllo sheet in the same way. Brush with the mixture. Repeat this for 6 phyllo sheets in total.
  • Spread the filling evenly on the top of the 6th phyllo sheet.
  • Place the 7th phyllo sheet over the filling, brush with the mixture. Fold the edges and repeat these steps for the remaining sheets.
  • Finally, pour the rest of the egg and yogurt mixture on the top and spread it evenly. If you think it is too much for your baking pan, use half of it. 
  • Slice the borek in squares and sprinkle nigella seeds or sesame seeds over it.
  • Bake it for 35-40 minutes or until golden.
  • Remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10-15 min. 

NOTES

  1. The consistency of the yogurt egg sauce doesn't matter at all. We use it just to stick the phyllo sheets together. So don't worry if it is too thick or too thin. 
  2. If you use frozen phyllo pastry, thaw overnight and keep it in the fridge.
  3. Keep the following in mind when working with the phyllo pastry sheets: They are paper-thin, so handle them gently. They are likely to dry out fast, so keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent this. 
  4. You can cut the phyllo sheets so that they fit in your baking pan.
  5. If the filo pastry brand you use contains 10 sheets in a pack, no problem. Your borek will become just a little thinner, which is fine.

NUTRITION

Calories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 12gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 644mgPotassium: 357mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3620IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 292mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

ADDITIONAL INFO

Course Pastry
Cuisine Turkish
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