Börek is a savory pastry popular in many parts of the Balkans, Middle East, and Central Asia - Turkey, Israel, Albania, Greece, etc. With a history closely tied to nomadic life and simplicity, börek can adapt and transport easily. It can be filled with whatever is available - vegetables, cheese, herbs, or ground meat. While rooted in humble and nomadic beginnings, börek reached a pinnacle during the reign of Sultan Mehmet IV. As Alexander Lee writes in his article, A History of Börek, “Delicate yet flavoursome, it was revered as the culinary epitome of Ottoman culture: a taste of poetic refinement, courtly elegance, and timeless urbanity.” To learn more about the history of börek, check out Alexander Lee’s article.
“For as long as people roam, börek will go on changing. It will be eaten by new consumers; it will adapt to new tastes; and, like Ottoman poetry, it will assume ever richer and more varied forms. Yet it will forever be marked by the wanderer’s life and is a sobering reminder never to forget the hardship of those who have been forced from their homes and those who live beneath the stars.” - A History of Börek
Recipe Video: Patlıcanlı Kol Böreğ
A Recipe for Patlıcanlı Kol Böreği
I adapted Özlem Warren’s Zucchini Kol Böreği recipe for eggplant
Ingredients:
10 to 12 yufka or phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
For the filling:
2 medium to large purple eggplants, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
6-8 green onions
3 tbsp olive oil
8 oz of canned Marzano tomatoes in sauce
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp pul biber
8 oz Turkish beyaz peynir or feta cheese, juice drained and crumbled
5 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
For the egg, milk, and olive oil sauce:
1 fl oz milk
1 medium egg, beaten
1 tbsp olive oil
For the topping:
1 medium egg, beaten
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions:
Place the diced eggplant in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, and cover with water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Using a clean tea towel, squeeze out the excess juice (this helps avoid a soggy pastry). Place the squeezed eggplant in a large bowl.
Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large heavy-bottom pan. Add chopped white and green onions; sauté for 6 minutes, until soft. Stir in the eggplant, cover with a lid, and sauté for another 15 minutes. Add in canned tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Saute until the mixture is fully incorporated and cooked down. Turn the heat off.
Place the cooled sautéed onions, eggplant, and tomato mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the dried mint, pul biber, crumbled cheese, and fresh parsley. Combine all ingredients well.
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a round baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine the milk, beaten egg, and olive oil for the sauce in a small bowl.
Mix the beaten egg and olive oil in a small bowl for the topping. Set Aside.
Open the thawed yufka pastry sheets, gently lay them on a dry, clean surface, and cover them with a damp towel.
Take 2 yufka pastry sheets and lay them on top of each other lengthways on a clean, dry surface. Brush the top sheet with the mixture of milk, egg, and olive oil.
Place about 5oz of filling in a line along the long edge. Gently roll it up into a cylinder.
Wind the yufka dough into a coil and put it in the parchment-lined baking dish. Brush the top and sides of the spiral pastry with the egg, milk, and olive oil mixture (this also helps to patch up any broken pastry).
Repeat the same procedure until the dish is filled. Coil the pastry around the previous one to make a giant spiral. As you go, brush the top and sides of the spiral pie with the egg, milk, and olive oil mixture.
Before backing, brush the top and visible edges of the pie with the beaten egg and olive oil all over, and then sprinkle the sesame seeds.
Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and cooked. Let it slightly cool for 5 minutes. Slice into wedges to serve.