Breads & Pastries
The secret to a perfect Turkish Borek lies in the sauce, and this recipe delivers just that. These Savory Beef & Potato Rolls are treated with a special wash of yogurt, milk, and melted butter between the layers. This technique ensures the pastry puffs up beautifully in the oven, creating a shatteringly crisp exterior while keeping the savory meat and potato filling moist. It’s a textural masterpiece that pairs perfectly with a hot glass of black tea.
Ingredients :
- 5 sheets of Turkish Yufka (fresh round phyllo sheets)
- FOR THE FILLING:
- 400 g ground beef (medium fat)
- 4 medium potatoes
- 2 large onions
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika (optional)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for sautéing)
- FOR THE SAUCE (To brush layers):
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (sunflower or canola)
- 2 eggs (Whites into the sauce, yolks reserved for topping)
Preparation :
- Prepare the filling first: Boil the potatoes until fully tender, then peel and mash them while hot. Set aside.
- Finely chop the onions. In a wide pan, sauté the ground beef until it changes color and absorbs its own juice.
- Add the onions to the meat and sauté until soft and translucent.Add enough hot water to prevent burning, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add salt, black pepper, and paprika. Mix well.
- Combine the sautéed meat mixture with the mashed potatoes in a large bowl. Stir until uniform. IMPORTANT: Let the filling cool down completely before using (hot filling will tear the dough).
- Prepare the sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, melted butter, vegetable oil, and the egg whites (save the yolks for the top). Whisk until smooth.
- Lay one Yufka sheet flat on the counter. Brush half of the sheet generously with the sauce.
- Fold the un-sauced half over the sauced half to create a half-moon shape. Brush the top surface with the sauce again.
- Cut the half-moon dough into 6 or 8 equal triangles (like pizza slices).
- Place a generous tablespoon of the cooled potato-meat filling on the wide part of each triangle.
- Fold the side edges inward slightly (to seal the filling) and roll it up towards the tip (like a cigar).
- Repeat this process with the remaining Yufka sheets.
- Arrange the rolls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Whisk the reserved egg yolks with 1 tbsp of oil and brush over the rolls. Optionally sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 35-40 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve warm with brewed Turkish tea.