Welcome to Turkey

I decided to start my culinary adventure in Turkey. As a half Turk (and very proud of it), I have a soft spot for Turkish culture and cuisine. Last night, I made one of my favorite foods: börek. Börek is a very popular and versatile Turkish food. Some of my fondest and most special memories of my büyükanne (Turkish for Grandmother) are of her sitting, brushing layer after layer of phyllo dough with butter and filling the middle with a delicious cheese, spinach and onion mixture. Making this kind of börek is an incredibly labor intensive process. Last night, I opted for something a little simpler but no less delicious.

I followed a recipe from The Turkish Cookbook. The cookbook is organized into regions: this recipe is from Gümüşhane, a city in the Black Sea region.

Spinach and Egg Börek

“It is said that no Turkish girl should marry before mastering the art of making these pastries” –Nur Ilkin

Dough:                                                Filling:                                                                     

1 1/3 cups of flour                              2 tablespoons of butter, melted

1 teaspoon sea salt                              2 medium onions, finely chopped

½ to ¾ cup of water                            1 ½ pounds baby spinach leaves (I used frozen, chopped                                                                         spinach)

                                                            Freshly ground pepper

                                                            2 large eggs, lightly beaten

     Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Slowly start adding the water, mixing and kneading well to make a smooth dough. Divide the dough into egg-sized pieces, roll them into balls, and place them on a plate. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

     In a large skillet, heat the butter and sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and sauté for another 5 minutes, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add beaten eggs. Cook, stirring until mixture resembles scrambled eggs. Remove from heat and cool. [I added feta cheese to the mixture after it cooled].

     On a lightly floured surface, roll out the balls into rounds [the recipe says 10 inch rounds, but this was way too large-think pierogi sized]. Place a spoonful of the filling in the right side of the rolled dough, spreading it all over the right half. Fold the left side of the circle over the filling (making a half moon or “D” shape) and gently press with your fingertips or fork tines to seal the edges together tightly. Repeat.

     Heat a large nonstick pan and cook boerek for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and place on a serving platter. Serve hot. – The Turkish Cookbook, Nur Ilkin and Sheilah Kaufman   (pictures of my borek to come!)

Here is an article from NPR about borek. Included is a recipe for cigar borek (my Grandmother used to make these as well).