While we are on the subject of börek….
I was dying to try this one as I had a surfeit of eggplants in the fridge.
Being a seasonal cook is all very well but it does mean you have to keep up with the fresh produce and what is in your fridge! I find I cook my socks off when I am here in the village….
We love eggplants or aubergines and here in Turkey there are myriad ways of cooking them. And it seems as if I have only just now discovered börek! For years I never attempted to make it as I somehow thought it wasn’t for me and all too different.
But how wrong I was.
Not only is borek totally delicious but also extremely easy to make.
Our nearest equivalent is perhaps quiches but believe me, borek is much easier and I love the way it spreads to feed a crowd.
We had friends round last night and I vowed to try this recipe. It was a big success
I personally thought I served these little packets too hot ie straight from the oven but just today one of our guests, Peter, said what he liked about them apart from the taste, was the fact that they were hot!
It’s true: many Turkish dishes are served on the tepid side whereas we Brits do like them to be hot if that’s what they are supposed to be.
Personally I still think they were too hot and would recommend letting them rest for fifteen minutes before serving.
- Peel the aubergines in stripes. Cut into 4 lengthwise and then chop into cubes.
- Place in a basin filled with salty water and let sit for 10 mins so that any bitter juices are released.
- Rinse and let dry on paper towels.
- Peel and dice the onions.
- Prepare and slice the green pepper, removing the seeds and stalk.
- Skin (immerse in boiling water for a few minutes and they will peel easily) and chop the tomatoes into cubes.
- Gently heat the cooking oil in a wide open pan and cook the mince meat until the juices run out.
- Add the diced onion and cook until soft.
- Add the salt and pepper.
- Add the aubergine, green pepper and tomatoes and mix.
- Put the lid on the pan and cook for 25 minutes over low heat.
- Leave to cool.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl.
- Add the yogurt, milk, cooking oil and pinch of salt and stir till smooth.
- Now pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Take 1 sheet of yufka and brush some of the sauce over the whole thing.
- Fold the rounded edges in so that you have a large square-shape in front of you.
- Using a pizza cutter (so much easier than a knife!), divide the yufka into 4 equal squares.
- Place 2 tbsp of the cooled aubergine mixture in the centre of each and fold in the corners to make a packet.
- Place seam-side down on a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking tray or pyrex dish.
- Continue with the rest of the sheets of yufka.
- Use the remaining sauce to glaze the tops of each packet.
- Sprinkle half the packets with sesame seeds and the other half with the nigella.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. The boreks will puff up and turn a wonderful golden brown colour.
- Let rest for 15 mins before eating.
These taste equally good the next day and I can quite see these as part of a Turkish teaparty!
I've never had borek like this. This recipe looks amazing! YUM!
Try it:))
Congratulations on being honored as one of the top 5 Turkish cooking blogs. Your aubergine recipe looks most interesting; I have never been served anything like that. I love aubergines, don't think I have ever had them served to me in a way I didn't like so I assume I would love this recipe too. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks very much, Michel!
Can you get filo pastry where you are? Not in the village, I am sure about that!! But back in the US? I'm sure you would like this recipe.
Another gorgeous borek, yummy;) Many congrats on the top Turkish blogs, love reading your posts!
Hi Özlem! Congrats to you too!!
What do you use for yufka over in the UK?
Dear Claudia,
Congratulations for being in the Top5!
I have been reading your blog since January, thank you so much! It is not just informative, it is very inspiring – I have started one of my own too. My comment is regarding your July's note on apricots. I would like to share (at least a picture) probably the best apricots in my life I bought in Alanya's cuma pazari a week ago. But I could not find an e-mail address or an option to send a pic to you.
I wish you and us new posts and recipes,
Kind regards, –
Hi Sogood! And it is so good to hear from you like this! What a nice comment to find here! I thought my email was there on my profile page- will have a look – but anyway it's crturgut@gmail.com, nice and easy. So you found some decent apricots? Lucky you! And now they're finished …
Best wishes to you too..
Claudia,
I do have a ?, but first, congratulations on being in the Top 5! Re: the patlican börek – are you only using one layer of yufka per packet? When folding it this way, there is only one layer on the bottom – I'm concerned about it being too thin…..did I miss something?
Thanks,
Hello Bosphorus View! Yes that's right: one yufka per packet. I shared yr concern and that's why I say that the filling must be cooled if not downright cold when you are folding them up. Then the trick is to turn them over so that all the folded up sides are underneath and thus in effect making 4 layers on the bottom.
Thanks for your comment – much appreciated!
Doing the borek like this is a much easier method! Thanks so much for the idea. And I'm sure your "sludge" filling was quite delicious! Enjoy Assos!
You are not kidding :))
This looks absolutely amazing!! thank you for the step by step photos – I always get in a muddle with filo – I can imagine the taste – fantastic!
mary x
Hello Mary! Do you use it sometimes? x
I love this Claudia!
:))
WOW!!! These look amazingly delicious. 🙂 I've never made this type before. My husband loves a good Borek and anything and I mean anything with eggplants. We are fortunate here with year round of eggplants here in Toronto. I think because the city is pretty diverse that any kind of shape and color of eggplant you can dream of….we have them.
The sludge I can devour alone with just a spoon in hand. 🙂
Congrats!!!! on being one of the Top Turkish Blogs….your Blog is inspiring, informative and has a sense of humor. Basically I've a file with just your recipes…so keep them coming. Not sure when I'll whip this up as I'm a diet and this will have to wait…something to look forward to.
………have a great day!!!!
Hi Erica! Another great comment from you! Honestly, I feel as if I know you by now! You can find eggplants here much more easily than before but I somehow can't bring myself to buy them out of season!!
Thanks for your very kind words re my blog :))
And I'm on a diet too – we're always on a diet!!
Take care x
wow…great news about being one of the top turkish food blogs! i would vote for you too! so many of your recipes are now permanent in my home. i love borek and will be making this soon! i am still waiting for my eggplants to get big enough to harvest.
Hello !
I'd like to make borek at home, but can we substitute the turkish filo with something else ?
Thank you for your recipes 🙂