Börek is Turkey's most versatile pastry tradition. It appears at breakfast alongside menemen; it is lunch in itself from a börekçi (börek shop); it is the food sent to neighbors, the catering staple, the thing made in large quantities for special occasions. A börekçi in Istanbul may sell five or six different types from morning until the tray is sold out.
The tradition extends beyond Turkey — through the Balkans (burek in Bosnia, banitsa in Bulgaria, gibanica in Serbia), to the Middle East, and through Ottoman-influenced communities across Europe. But the most elaborated and differentiated forms are Turkish.
The Dough
Yufka: The Turkish name for stretched thin dough — similar to phyllo but slightly thicker and more pliable. Commercial yufka is sold in large round sheets at Turkish grocery stores. Greek phyllo (filo) works as a substitute; it is slightly thinner and crisps faster, so adjust accordingly.
Making yufka: Flour, water, oil, and salt — kneaded and rested, then rolled to paper-thin translucency on a wooden board with a thin rolling pin (oklava). Professional yufka makers stretch by hand over a large table. Making it at home from scratch takes skill and patience; commercial is practical.
The Forms
Sigara Böreği (Cigarette Börek)
Small, thin, cigar-shaped rolls. The filling is placed at one end of a triangular piece of yufka; the pastry is rolled around it and the end sealed with egg wash or a flour-water paste. Deep-fried until golden.
Filling: Almost always white cheese (beyaz peynir) mixed with fresh dill and sometimes parsley. The simplest, most snackable börek form.
Speed: Quick to make once you have the yufka and filling ready; fries in 2–3 minutes.
Tepsi Böreği (Tray Börek)
Large rectangular tray börek — layers of yufka brushed with oil and milk, filled in the middle, baked until golden. Sliced and served in squares.
The soak: Instead of brushing with pure butter (as in baklava-style phyllo preparation), the yufka layers for tepsi börek are often soaked in a mixture of oil, milk, and egg — this produces a less brittle, more tender result.
Su Böreği (Water Börek) — The Special One
Su böreği means "water börek." The technique is unusual: the yufka sheets are briefly boiled in salted water (like pasta) before layering, which makes them soft, silky, and slightly translucent. They are then layered with filling and baked.
The result is completely unlike other phyllo preparations — not crispy and flaky but soft, layered like a wide pasta lasagna, with a silky texture that is unlike any other Turkish or Greek pastry. Su böreği is a labor of love; it takes significantly longer than other börek forms. It is made for special occasions or by dedicate börek shops.
Filling: Always white cheese and parsley (peynirli), or spinach (ıspanaklı). The filling should be generously applied — su böreği is not delicate.
The Fillings
White cheese and dill (peynirli): Crumbled beyaz peynir mixed with fresh dill. The most common filling for sigara börek and a primary filling for all forms.
Spinach and cheese (ıspanaklı): Wilted spinach mixed with white cheese and sometimes onion. More filling and complete than cheese alone.
Minced meat (kıymalı): Ground lamb or beef with onion, cumin, and chili. Less common than cheese forms but available in most börekçi.
Potato (patatesli): Mashed potato with dill and chili flakes. Vegan-friendly; common in some regions.
The Complete Recipe: Sigara Böreği (Cigarette Börek)
Makes: 20–24 pieces Time: 45 minutes
Filling
- 200g beyaz peynir (or feta), crumbled
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 egg (optional — binds the filling)
- Black pepper
Mix all together. Taste for salt (the cheese is already salty).
Assembly
- 6–8 sheets commercial yufka or phyllo dough
- Oil for brushing
- 1 egg + 2 tablespoons water (egg wash for sealing)
- Oil for deep-frying
- Cut yufka into triangles (from a round sheet, cut into 6 equal triangular wedges; or cut rectangular phyllo into 8 × 15cm strips).
- Place 1 heaped teaspoon of filling at the wide end of each triangle.
- Roll firmly from the wide end to the point; seal the pointed tip with egg wash.
- Refrigerate assembled rolls 15 minutes (they hold together better when cold).
- Deep-fry in 170°C oil 2–3 minutes until golden on all sides.
- Drain; serve immediately.
Baked version (healthier): Brush assembled rolls with egg wash; bake at 200°C, 20–25 minutes until golden.
Related reading: Baklava Turkish Greek Phyllo Guide | Turkish Breakfast Kahvaltı Guide | Spanakopita Greek Spinach Pie Guide
The full recipes live in the book.
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