Recipe of the Day: Turkish Water Borek (aka Su Boregi)

You are already familiar with the several kinds of Turkish boreks, aren’t you? But what about Turkish Water Borek? The delicious pastry, which is also known as Su Boregi, is by far the best of all Turkish borek recipes. What makes it special and gives its distinguishing name is the homemade phyllo sheets that are slightly cooked in simmering water. Well, all you need to do is to line the cooked phyllo sheets in a pan. Then, brush them with butter and stuff with feta and parsley. It sounds super delicious, doesn’t it?

Where Does Turkish ‘Water Borek’ Name Come From?

The name ‘water borek’ may sound a little bit unusual. However, it is definitely because of a reason that you are about to learn. One of the steps of the recipe instructions is what it gives the name. While making Turkish water borek, people cook homemade phyllo sheets in simmering water. And then, they stuff and bake it and thus we got the odd name. Well, that’s the reason why Turkish people call it “su boregi” (Water Borek).

Important Tips: The best way to cook Turkish su boregi is to use homemade phyllo sheets. Therefore, you had better get help from someone to make this delicious Turkish pastry.

Ingredient for Each Step

• Filling the Borek: In Turkish cuisine, you can make borek filling with anything you like. The list extends from different kinds of meat to vegetables, cheese, you name it. All of these ingredients depend on the cook’s preference. However, when it comes to su böregi filling, it is always with cheese like feta and parsley. But in case you can’t find feta, you can always use a crumbly cheese that doesn’t melt when baked. Optionally, you can combine the cheese with parsley. Besides cheese and parsley, you also need melted butter to spread on the layers of phyllo sheets.
• Making the Dough: Making the phyllo sheets is very similar to making pasta. All you need for the dough is flour, milk, and eggs. It won’t be very soft due to the eggs.
• Cooking the Phyllo Sheets and having the golden top: You need boiling water in a pot. And cold water in a large bowl. Finally, what you need are salt and oil. As for the golden top, you need an egg, olive oil, and yogurt. In case you don’t have yogurt ready in your fridge, you can use milk instead.

Ingredients

• 500g feta cheese
• Half bunch of parsley
• 200g butter, melted
• 10 cups flour
• 1 ¼ cup milk
• 6 eggs
• 3lt water to boil
• 3lt cold water
• ½ tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup yogurt

How to Cook Turkish Water Borek?

Start Easy

1. First of all, you have to combine cheese and chopped parsley in a bowl and then put it aside. What’s more, it is important to keep the melted butter in another bowl on the side.
2. After that, you need to combine flour, egg, and milk in a large bowl. Either with your hands or in your stand mixer, knead it firmly. If necessary, you should add little flour. It won’t be soft dough. Later on, you must transfer the dough to the counter, roll it into a log and cut it into 10 balls. You should cover the pieces with a damp kitchen towel. Thus, they don’t dry when you are rolling them out one by one.
3. The following step is to dust the counter with a little flour each time you roll out a dough ball. On the counter, stack the phyllo sheets. You need to make sure that you sprinkle a generous amount of flour between each. Thanks to doing this, phyllo sheets don’t stick. For doing it, you need to brush a baking sheet with oil or use a cooking spray. At the bottom of your water borek, make sure to place an uncooked phyllo sheet in the baking sheet. Afterward, cook the remaining phyllo sheets.

Get A Bit Complicated

1. The next step is to fill a large pot with water. Then, add in salt and olive oil. Bring it to a boil. Also, fill a large bowl with cold water and put it aside. Take the phyllo sheet to the pot and drop it into the simmering water with the help of a thin rolling pin. Here is the crucial point: you have to keep it there for 2 minutes and take it out with a large slotted spoon. Then, what you got to do is to transfer the phyllo sheet into the cold water to stop cooking. Keep it there for a few seconds and then transfer it on a clean kitchen towel. You must repeat the same steps for the remaining phyllo sheets.
2. Do you remember the first phyllo sheet you place uncooked in the baking sheet? Well, brush the top of it with melted butter. Then, you had better place a cooked phyllo sheet on that first one. Then again, brush it with melted butter, too. You must repeat the process with 3 more phyllo sheets. Then, spread the cheese mixture on the fifth phyllo sheet. Place the 6th phyllo sheet on it. Brush it with melted butter and repeat with the remaining sheets.

Get the Work Done

1. In another bowl, you have to whisk together the olive oil, yogurt, and egg. Then generously, spread this mixture on the top sheet. And finally, bake the final product in a preheated oven at 350F/180C. for about 40 minutes or until it gets golden. And the final point cut the Turkish water borek into squares and serve it.

What to Serve Turkish Water Borek with?

The answer is fresh brewed Turkish tea as always it is the beverage that goes very well with almost everything!

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