A traditional Turkish pastry made with thin yufka dough, filled with spinach and cheese, and shaped like a rose.
Rose Börek with Spinach & Cheese
Börek is a popular pastry in Turkey, commonly enjoyed with a glass of tea at bakeries in Istanbul. Originating from the Ottoman Empire, börek is made with thin yufka dough and can be filled with a variety of ingredients. This recipe focuses on the rose-shaped börek, filled with spinach and cheese.
Ingredients
- 2-3 full sheets Yufka dough, quartered
- 1 lb (1/2 kilogram) Spinach, chopped
- 1 each Onion, grated
- 3 1/2 oz (100 grams) Beyaz or Feta cheese, crumbled (or more if you want them cheesier)
- 3 each Eggs, split
- 3 large spoonfuls Yogurt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Olive oil (plus more for greasing pan)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) Water
- 1 tsp (5 grams) Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Nigella seeds (çörek otu)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 390 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
- In a large bowl, mix spinach, grated onion, 1 egg, and black pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 spoons yogurt, 1 egg, oil, and water.
- Take one piece of the cut yufka (should be triangle-shaped) and place some of the spinach mixture along the wide bottom. Next add some crumbled cheese and a 1-2 large spoonfuls of the egg/yogurt mixture. Begin gently rolling from the bottom to get a large coil, and then roll that coil into itself to form a rose shape. Tuck the lose end piece into the bottom-center of the rose.
- Place onto a greased baking tray and begin to make your next börek. Continue until you run out of filling.
- In another small bowl, mix 1 egg and 1 large spoonful of yogurt. Using a brush, paint this mixture over the tops of the roses.
- Sprinkle with nigella seeds.
- Place in oven and bake for 30-45 minutes. The tops of the roses should be golden brown.
- Börek can come in many shapes and be filled with a variety of different fillings. The most common fillings are beyaz peynir (white cheese), kıyma (ground beef), and ıspanak (spinach).