Börek — pastel turco de masa filo y queso
The Turkish pastry that comes in countless shapes: layers of thin yufka (filo) brushed with a butter-oil-egg-milk mixture and filled with white cheese and parsley (or spiced meat or spinach), then baked until crisp, golden and flaky. From coiled sigara böreği to the soft, almost lasagne-like su böreği, it's a beloved breakfast, meze and street snack across Turkey and the Balkans.
Whisk a 'sauce' of milk, melted butter, oil and egg. Mix a filling of crumbled white cheese (beyaz peynir/feta) with chopped parsley. Lay yufka (or filo) sheets in a buttered tray, brushing each generously with the milk-butter mixture, scattering cheese between layers and ruffling the sheets for texture. Pour the rest of the sauce over, brush the top with egg yolk, scatter with sesame, and bake until deep golden and crisp. Cut into squares.
- Brush every layer generously with the milk-butter-egg mixture — it's what makes börek crisp yet tender.
- Use Turkish yufka if you can; filo is the closest substitute (keep it covered so it doesn't dry out).
- Egg yolk and sesame on top give the signature glossy, golden, seeded crust.
Equipment
- Baking tray or dish
- Pastry brush
- Whisk
Ingredientes
Sauce (terbiye)
- 250 ml milk
- 60 ml melted butter and oil mixed
- 2 eggs (1 reserved yolk for the top)
Filling & pastry
- 300 g white cheese (beyaz peynir or feta), crumbled
- Large handful parsley, chopped
- 1 packet yufka or filo sheets
- Nigella or sesame seeds, to top
Elaboración
- PASO01
Whisk together the milk, melted butter-oil and the eggs (reserve one yolk for brushing the top) into a smooth mixture.
- PASO02
Mix the crumbled white cheese with the chopped parsley.
- PASO03
Brush a tray with the sauce and lay in a sheet of yufka. Brush generously with the sauce, loosely ruffling/crumpling sheets as you layer, and scatter cheese between every couple of layers, until the cheese and sheets are used up.
- PASO04
Pour any remaining sauce evenly over the top. Brush with the reserved egg yolk and scatter with nigella or sesame seeds.
- PASO05
Bake at 180°C/350°F until deep golden, crisp on top and set through, 35–40 minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Make ahead
Assemble the börek ahead and refrigerate or freeze, then bake to serve. The cheese filling and sauce can be made ahead. Baked börek is great warm or room temperature, so it travels well.
Storage
Keeps 2–3 days; reheat in a hot oven to re-crisp (not the microwave, which softens it). Unbaked assembled börek can be frozen and baked from frozen. It's also good at room temperature for a picnic or lunchbox.
Variations
Kıymalı börek
Fill with spiced minced meat (and onion) instead of cheese.
Ispanaklı börek
Fill with sautéed spinach and cheese.
Sigara böreği
Roll the filling in strips of yufka into thin 'cigars' and fry until crisp.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is yufka and can I use filo?
Yufka is the thin Turkish pastry used for börek — a little thicker and more pliable than Greek filo. Filo (phyllo) is the closest and widely available substitute; just keep it covered with a damp cloth while you work, as it dries out and cracks quickly.
What cheese is used in börek?
Turkish beyaz peynir (white cheese) is traditional — a brined cheese similar to feta, usually mixed with chopped parsley. Feta is the easiest substitute; if it's very salty, mix it with a little ricotta or rinse it. The filling should be savoury and herby.
How do I make börek crisp, not soggy?
Brush the layers generously with the milk-butter-egg mixture (it sets and crisps in the oven rather than making it wet), don't over-saturate any single spot, and bake it long enough at a good heat to dry and crisp the top. Reheat leftovers in the oven, never the microwave.
What's the difference between the types of börek?
Börek refers to a whole family. Su böreği ('water börek') has sheets briefly boiled first, giving a soft, layered, lasagne-like texture; tray-baked börek (like this) is crisp on top and tender within; sigara böreği are fried cigar rolls; gül böreği are coiled 'roses'. Same idea, many shapes.
Can I make börek ahead?
Yes — assemble it and refrigerate (or freeze) before baking, then bake fresh to serve crisp. It also keeps a couple of days baked and reheats well in the oven, and is delicious at room temperature, which makes it a great picnic and party dish.
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