Description
Crispy, golden “Beef and Onion Borek” brings Turkish culinary magic to your kitchen with layers of flaky pastry and rich, spiced meat. Delicate phyllo sheets wrapped around seasoned beef create a perfect handheld treat you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) ground beef
- 4.5–5 glasses (540–600 grams) flour
- 200 grams (7 ounces) softened butter
Filling Ingredients:
- 3 dry onions
- 3 tablespoons oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Oregano
- Ground red pepper
Dough and Topping Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1 teacup oil
- 1 teaspoon yogurt
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Craft a smooth, elastic dough by whisking together egg, oil, yogurt, water, salt, baking powder, and vinegar. Gradually incorporate flour until a cohesive mixture develops.
- Knead the dough thoroughly for 5 minutes, then allow it to rest and relax at room temperature for half an hour.
- Fire up the oven to 180°C (350°F), ensuring proper preheating for optimal baking conditions.
- In a skillet, warm the oil and gently sauté onions until they turn translucent and soft. Introduce ground beef and season with salt, black pepper, oregano, and ground red pepper. Cook until the meat caramelizes and browns completely.
- Partition the dough into small, uniform portions. Roll each segment into delicate, thin circles, applying a whisper-thin layer of softened butter across the surface.
- Spoon the fragrant beef and onion mixture onto each circle, then carefully roll into compact cylindrical shapes.
- Arrange the formed böreks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring slight separation between each piece.
- Delicately brush the tops with a luxurious blend of egg yolk and milk, creating a golden, glossy finish.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven, baking for 25-30 minutes until the böreks transform into a rich, amber-brown color with crispy edges.
Notes
- Dough Flexibility: Add a splash of olive oil while kneading to make the dough smoother and more pliable, preventing it from becoming too dry or cracking.
- Meat Seasoning Enhancement: Toast the ground spices like oregano and red pepper in the pan before adding beef to release deeper, more complex flavor profiles.
- Filling Temperature Control: Allow the beef mixture to cool slightly before filling the böreks to prevent soggy dough and ensure crisp pastry edges.
- Dietary Adaptation: Substitute ground beef with plant-based crumbles or finely chopped mushrooms for a vegetarian version that maintains rich, savory characteristics.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg