Turkish Borek w/ Beef, Leeks & Potato

Borek (buhr-ECK’) is an essential part of life in Turkey. They are made for any occasion and can be eaten at any time of the day.

There are many variations with different kinds of fillings (cheese, potato, meat), different ways to cook them (fried, baked), different kinds of dough (filo, puff), but in the end they are all called ‘borek’.

You might not have have heard of ‘yufka’, but you have probably already eaten it in the dessert called ‘baklava’. Yufka is used in a lot of traditional Turkish recipes. Some say that it may have been the earlier form of phyllo/filo dough.

The dough itself is made from wheat flour, water and a bit of salt. Yufka finds its way onto the table in the form of casseroles, strudel or a filled pastry roll as well as just flat bread. Traditional Turkish specialties such as borek are made from thin sheets of this wheat dough that are filled and rolled.

Brion & I have many wonderful memories of the holiday time we spent in Turkey some years ago.

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Turkish Borek w/ Beef, Leeks & Potato

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

European, Middle Eastern

Keyword

Turkish borek w/ beef

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Beef, Leek & Potato Filling

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 270 gm (1 large) potato, peeled, boiled & mashed
• 300 gm ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried red pepper flakes OR smoked paprika
• salt & pepper to taste
• 100 gm Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beaten for egg wash

Course Main Dish Cuisine European, Middle Eastern Keyword Turkish borek w/ beef Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Dough 1 2/3 cup flour 1 tsp salt 2/3 cup lukewarm water 1 Tbsp olive oil Beef, Leek & Potato Filling 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 leek, thinly sliced 270 gm (1 large) potato, peeled, boiled & mashed 300 gm ground beef 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp dried red pepper flakes OR smoked paprika salt & pepper to taste 100 gm Parmesan cheese, grated 1 egg plus 1 Tbsp water, beaten for egg wash

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Dough

1. in a medium bowl, whisk together flour & salt. Make a well in the center & pour in the water & oil. Using your fingers, draw the flour in from the sides, working mixture into a sticky dough.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface & knead, adding more flour as necessary to prevent sticking, until the dough is smooth & elastic, about 3 minutes.
3. Transfer to the mixing bowl, drizzle with a little bit of oil & turn to coat. Cover the dough with plastic wrap & allow to rest in a draft-free place for 4 hours.

Borek Filling

1. In a saucepan, stir-fry ground meat with spices. Remove from saucepan, place in a bowl & set aside. Add 2 tablespoons oil to saucepan & sauté leeks & garlic until tender. Microwave potato, peel & mash with Parmesan cheese. Add leeks, garlic, potato & cheese to meat & spices. Season with salt & pepper to taste; combine well.

Assembly & Baking

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a round 11-inch diameter baking pan & set aside.
2. Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls into very thin rounds, using more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
3. On one side of the dough, put a line of filling. Try to build a continuous line. Divide the filling between the 2 rounds. Roll the dough making sure filling is in the whole length of the roll.
4. Form a spiral with the meat roll in the baking pan, starting in the center. Add the second roll to complete the spiral, filling the pan. Brush borek with egg wash, making sure to brush all visible surfaces.
5. Bake on middle rack for 45 minutes or until pastry is golden. Let it cool for a bit before serving. Borek is best when freshly baked, however it still tastes great if stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days.