Börek - The World's Food
The World's Food
Yield: 8
Time: 2 hours
Savory spiced Turkish pie that is as stunning to look at as it is delicious. Filled with ground lamb, spinach, parsley, spices, feta and Gruyère
Ingredients
4 Tablespoons olive oil1 onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 pound ground lamb
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems trimmed and removed, finely chopped
20 fresh mint leaves, diced (about 2 Tablespoons)
7 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
7 ounces graviera or Gruyere cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons olive oil
16 ounces phyllo dough pastry sheets, room temperature
1 spray bottle filled with water
4 Tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
Preparation
Step 1
For the lamb filling, start by adding 4 Tablespoons olive oil to a skillet over medium heat
For the lamb filling, start by adding 4 Tablespoons olive oil to a skillet over medium heat
Step 2
Add diced onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes
Step 3
Add ground lamb, break into small pieces and cook until browned
Step 4
Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, allspice, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, and cook 2 minutes
Step 5
Set skillet aside and allow to cool to room temperature
Step 6
Preheat oven to 375 F
Step 7
For the spinach filling, start by whisking 3 eggs in a large bowl
Step 8
Add spinach, parsley, mint, feta, graviera/gruyere and olive oil, mix well
Step 9
On a flat surface, layer phyllo sheets staggered 1-inch with the long ends away from you
Step 10
Spray phyllo with water to prevent cracking while rolling in later steps
Step 11
Spread lamb and spinach mixtures along the length of the phyllo sheets
Step 12
Roll filled phyllo as if you were making a long cigar, about 4 feet in length
Step 13
Spiral-roll the phyllo into a coil, taking care to prevent cracking of the phyllo
Step 14
Transfer spiral borek to a skillet and brush the top with olive oil
Step 15
Cover with parchment paper and bake 30 minutes at 375 F
Step 16
Remove parchment paper and continue baking another 15 minutes, or until pastry browns
Step 17
Remove from oven and cut into wedges
Sources:
https://www.recipetineats.com/borek-turkish-spiced-lamb-filo-pastry/
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/spanakopita-recipe-greek-spinach-pie/
https://www.mygreekfoodrecipes.com/2021/05/strifti-tiropita.html
