- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 400 g
- 200 g
- 100 ml
- 150 ml
- 20 g
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
Process
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Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly grease a 30x20 cm baking dish with sunflower oil.
In a large bowl, mix the crumbled feta cheese, chopped spinach, chopped parsley, 2 eggs, 1 tsp black pepper and 0.5 tsp salt if needed. Stir until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 egg with the plain yogurt, whole milk and 100 ml sunflower oil until smooth. This is the wash for the yufka.
Lay one yufka sheet in the baking dish, letting the edges hang over. Brush it generously with the egg-yogurt wash. Repeat with a second yufka sheet, brushing again.
Spread half of the spinach and feta filling evenly over the second sheet. Fold the overhanging edges inward over the filling.
Add two more yufka sheets on top, brushing each with the wash, then spread the remaining filling over them and fold the edges in.
Finish with the last two yufka sheets, brushing each with the wash. Fold any overhanging edges over the top and brush the surface with the remaining wash.
Sprinkle the top with 1 tbsp sesame seeds and 1 tsp nigella seeds. Score the borek into 8 equal squares or diamonds with a sharp knife, cutting through the top layers only.
Bake on the middle rack for 40–45 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and the edges are crisp. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Let the borek rest in the dish for 10 minutes, then cut along the scored lines and serve warm.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is a soggy bottom: brush every yufka sheet with the egg-yogurt wash, including the first one, and do not use wet spinach. Squeeze chopped spinach in a clean towel if it releases water.
- Yufka sheets dry out fast. Keep them covered with a clean damp towel while you work, and assemble quickly.
- The borek is done when the top is deep golden and it sounds crisp when tapped with a knife. Pale borek will taste doughy, so give it the full baking time.
- Scoring before baking lets steam escape and makes neat slices without crushing the layers.
Substitutions
- yufka sheets→filo pastry (use 12 sheets, 2 per layer)
- feta cheese→ricotta salata or a firm white brined cheese
- spinach→Swiss chard, well dried and chopped
- sunflower oil→light olive oil
- whole milk→oat milk or water
Storage & reheating
Store leftover borek in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place slices on a baking tray in a 180°C oven for 8-10 minutes until crisp; avoid the microwave, which makes the pastry soft. For longer storage, freeze baked slices in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 190°C for 15-18 minutes.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my borek soggy at the bottom?
The usual cause is wet spinach or skipping the wash on the bottom yufka sheets. Squeeze the chopped spinach dry in a clean towel and brush every sheet, including the first, with the egg-yogurt mixture. Baking in the lower half of the oven can also leave the base pale and soft.
Can I make borek ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it in the baking dish, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5-8 minutes to the baking time because it starts cold. You can also bake it fully, cool, and reheat at 180°C for 10 minutes.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes, but thaw it completely and squeeze out as much water as possible; 400 g frozen spinach yields about 250 g after squeezing. If the filling looks wet, add 2 tbsp of fine semolina or breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
How do I know when the borek is fully baked?
The top should be deep golden brown and the edges should look dry and crisp. Tap the centre with a knife: it should sound crisp, not soft. If it is pale, return it to the oven for another 5 minutes.
Can I freeze borek?
Yes. Freeze baked slices in a single layer, then bag them for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 190°C for 15-18 minutes. Unbaked assembled borek can also be frozen, but thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking.
Why did my borek tear when slicing?
Slicing too soon or with a blunt knife crushes the layers. Score the borek before baking, let it rest for 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven, and use a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Cutting while very hot makes the filling run and the pastry collapse.
Can I add meat to this borek?
Yes. Cook 250 g of ground beef or lamb with a chopped onion until browned and dry, then cool and mix it with the spinach and feta. Make sure the meat is not wet, or the pastry will steam and turn soggy.
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