Borek is so versatile and there are so many ways to make it. Fried, oven baked, and water are just a few types of borek. White cheese, spinach, ground beef, leeks, potato and zucchini are just a few ingredients that can be used. Today I would like to share with you my Ispanaklı Su Böreği recipe. Su Böreği or Water Borek is one of the most commonly made borek’s and it is a wonderful Turkish comfort food. It is a little time-consuming rolling all the dough out by hand but it is so worth all the effort you put into the dish. You can certainly roll the dough using a pasta machine but you will not be able to shape the dough to suit the pan you are using. Please don’t let this dish intimidate you. It is really easy once you get in a rhythm. I promise, you will thank me once you taste what your efforts have produced. If, and that is a “big if” you have any left it is even better the second day. Su Böreği is complemented by serving it with a delicious Turkish Çay. I do hope you will try it. Afiyet olsun!
- For the Dough:
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Semolina Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
- 1½ Cup +/- Warm Water
- For the filling:
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Small Onion
- 12 - 16 Ounces Fresh Spinach
- Pinch of salt (you will only need a pinch because the cheese is salty)
- 8 ounces White Cheese (Feta)
- 8 ounces Kashar (You can substitute Aged Cheddar)
- ½ Bunch of Fresh Parsley
- 3-4 Tablespoons Fresh Dill
- For the Layers and Topping:
- 1 Stick of melted butter
- ½ Cup Yogurt
- 1 Large Egg
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all purpose flour with the semolina flour.
- Combine the warm water with the salt and vinegar.
- Pour into the flour and mix well with your hands.
- Knead until the dough is well combined and no longer sticky.
- Take a small piece of the dough and it should feel like the texture of your earlobe.
- Cover with a slightly damp cloth.
- Let rest for 20 minutes or longer.
- While the dough is resting, you can prepare your filling.
- Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent.
- Add in the spinach and sprinkle with salt.
- Cook 3-5 minutes then remove from heat to cool.
- Crumble the white cheese into a bowl.
- Chop the kaşar cheese into cubes and add to the white cheese.
- Add the chopped parsley and the dill.
- When the dough has rested, roll into a log and slice into 10 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough to 1/16 inch. Try to roll the dough in the general shape of your pan.
- Stack the rolled dough. You can sprinkle a very light dusting of flour between each sheet if you are worried about them sticking.
- When you are almost finished rolling all the dough, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Melt the butter and coat the bottom of a large deep baking dish lightly with the butter.
- Place one of the uncooked pasta sheets on the bottom and drizzle with some of the melted butter.
- Reserve one pasta sheet for the top.
- Cook the pasta sheets, 2 at a time in the boiling, salted water for 1 minute.
- Carefully remove them to a big bowl of ice water and then to a colander.
- Repeat 2 more times with the remaining 6 pasta sheets.
- While the pasta is cooking, go ahead and place one layer down and then drizzle with the butter.
- Drizzle some of the yogurt and egg mixture.
- At this point, pre-heat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit.
- After 5 total layers of pasta, spread the spinach mixture and then the cheese mixture completely and evenly over the surface.
- Continue with the cooked pasta layers, butter and yogurt mixture.
- Place the reserved uncooked pasta sheet on top, drizzle with butter and then spread the remaining yogurt and egg mixture over the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden.
