- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 150 g
- 120 ml
- 60 ml
- 20 g
- 1 g
- 1 g
- 10 g
Process
Timers built in · swap anything · ask as you cook
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Lightly brush a 30x20 cm baking dish with olive oil.
In a bowl, mash the feta cheese with 1 egg, plain yogurt, chopped parsley, black pepper, and salt if needed. Mix until spreadable but not runny.
In another bowl, whisk the remaining egg with milk and olive oil to make the wash.
Lay one yufka sheet in the baking dish, letting it overhang. Brush generously with the egg-milk wash.
Tear or cut another yufka sheet into pieces and layer over the first, brushing each piece with wash. Repeat with a third sheet.
Spread the feta-yogurt filling evenly over the layered yufka.
Top with the remaining yufka sheet, folding the overhanging edges over the filling to seal. Brush the top with the remaining wash.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top if using. Score the borek into 8 squares with a sharp knife.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is deep golden and crisp. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting along the scores.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is using too much filling; a thick layer steams the pastry and makes it soggy. Keep the filling about 1 cm thick.
- Yufka dries out quickly. Keep unused sheets covered with a clean, slightly damp cloth while you work.
- For extra crispness, brush the top with oil instead of egg wash and bake 5 minutes longer.
- If using phyllo instead of yufka, use 8 sheets and brush every single layer with the wash to prevent tearing.
Substitutions
- feta cheese→ricotta mixed with 50 g crumbled feta for a milder taste
- yufka sheets→phyllo dough (use 8 sheets)
- parsley→dill or mint, finely chopped
- plain yogurt→sour cream or labneh
Storage & reheating
Store leftover borek in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 180°C oven for 8-10 minutes until crisp again; avoid microwaving, which makes it soggy. For freezing, wrap individual portions tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 190°C for 15-20 minutes.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why is my borek soggy?
Sogginess usually comes from a wet filling or underbaking. Make sure the feta-yogurt mixture is thick, not runny, and bake until the top is deeply golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting so steam escapes.
Can I make borek ahead of time?
Yes, you can assemble it up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate, then brush with the egg-milk wash just before baking. Add 5 minutes to the baking time if it goes in cold.
Can I freeze borek?
Yes, baked or unbaked borek freezes well. Wrap portions tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake unbaked frozen borek at 190°C for 40-45 minutes; reheat baked frozen at 190°C for 15-20 minutes.
How do I know when borek is done?
The top should be a rich golden brown and the pastry should feel crisp and firm to the touch. If you lift a corner, the bottom should be dry and flaky, not pale or soft. An internal temperature of 75°C also indicates it is heated through.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes, but choose a firm, salty cheese. Feta is traditional; you can substitute ricotta mixed with feta, or a mild white cheese like Turkish beyaz peynir. Avoid mozzarella alone as it becomes stringy and watery.
Why did my yufka tear?
Yufka is very thin and dries out fast. Keep it covered with a damp cloth while working and handle it gently. If it tears, simply patch it with a small piece of yufka and brush with wash; the layers will hide it.
Can I add spinach or meat to the filling?
Yes. For spinach, cook and squeeze dry 200 g of chopped spinach before mixing with the feta. For meat, brown 200 g of ground beef or lamb with onion, drain well, and cool before layering.
Ask KitchenMind about this recipe
Tell it what’s different tonight — it works within the actual recipe.
