- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 700 g
- 3 tbsp
- 250 g
- 150 ml
- 100 g
- 60 g
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tsp
Process
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Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the chopped onion for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
Add the chopped spinach in batches and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until fully wilted. Tip into a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then leave to cool for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, mix the drained spinach and onion with the crumbled white cheese, 1 egg, the plain yogurt and the black pepper. Taste and add the salt only if needed.
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Melt the butter and brush a 30x22 cm baking dish with a little of it.
Lay one yufka sheet in the dish, letting the edges hang over the sides, and brush it generously with melted butter. Repeat with a second yufka sheet, brushing with butter again.
Spread the spinach and cheese filling evenly over the pastry, then fold the overhanging edges back over the filling.
Top with the remaining 2 yufka sheets, brushing melted butter between them, and tuck the edges down inside the dish. Brush the top layer with the beaten egg mixed with the milk.
Score the top into 8 squares with a sharp knife and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and nigella seeds.
Bake for 40–45 minutes until the top is deep golden and crisp. If it browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
Rest for 10 minutes, then cut along the scored lines and serve warm.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The one mistake most people make is skipping the squeeze: wet spinach steams the yufka from the inside and you get a soggy, pale börek. Press the cooked spinach hard in a colander and even pat it dry with kitchen paper.
- Keep the unused yufka sheets under a clean damp cloth while you work. They dry out within minutes and then crack instead of folding.
- Brush butter all the way to the edges of every sheet, not just the middle. The butter is what separates the layers and creates the flaky shatter.
- The börek is done when the top is a deep, even gold and the underside sounds hollow when you lift a corner with a spatula. Pale blond pastry will taste doughy.
Substitutions
- yufka→thin phyllo or filo sheets (use 8-10 sheets, brushing butter between every 2-3 sheets)
- white cheese→ricotta mixed with 2 tbsp crumbled feta for a milder, creamier filling
- spinach→Swiss chard, stems removed, cooked and squeezed the same way
- butter→olive oil for brushing, for a dairy-free top layer
Storage & reheating
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in a 180°C oven for 10-12 minutes so the top crisps again; the microwave makes it chewy. To freeze, wrap the unbaked assembled börek tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months, then bake from frozen at 180°C for 55-60 minutes, or thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as written.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my spinach börek turn out soggy?
Almost always because the spinach was not drained well enough or the filling was still warm when it went in. Cook the spinach, press it in a colander until no more liquid drips, and let it cool before mixing with the cheese. A wet filling steams the yufka and the bottom layer never crisps.
Can I make spinach börek ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it completely, brush the top with the egg wash, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5-8 minutes to the baking time because it goes into the oven cold. You can also freeze it unbaked for up to 2 months.
Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh?
Yes, use about 700 g frozen chopped spinach. Thaw it fully and squeeze it out very thoroughly, as frozen spinach releases far more water than fresh. You may need to press it in a clean tea towel to get it dry enough.
How do I know when the börek is fully baked?
The top should be a deep, even golden brown and the pastry should sound hollow when you lift a corner. If the top is golden but the center feels soft or heavy when pressed, give it another 5-8 minutes. Underbaked börek tastes doughy in the middle.
Can I use feta instead of Turkish white cheese?
Yes, feta works well, but it is saltier and drier. Crumble it and mix it with the yogurt to loosen it, and skip the added salt entirely. If you want a milder filling, blend feta half-and-half with ricotta.
Why did my yufka sheets crack and tear?
They dried out while you were working. Keep the stack covered with a damp cloth and only take out one sheet at a time. Small tears are fine, just patch them with an overlapping piece and brush with butter; the layers hide the repairs.
Can I reheat leftover börek without it going soft?
Yes, reheat it uncovered in a 180°C oven for 10-12 minutes, which re-crisps the pastry. Avoid the microwave, which makes the layers rubbery. If it was frozen, thaw it in the fridge first so the center heats through without the edges burning.
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