Su Böreği (Turkish "Water" Börek with Cheese)
سو بوریگی (پنیر والا ترکی "پانی" بورک)
Su böreği, "water börek", is the börek Turkish cooks are proudest of. Sheets of thin egg dough are boiled for a moment, dipped in cold water, then layered in a tray with melted butter and a filling of white cheese and parsley, and baked until the top is crisp and golden while the inside stays soft and tender. It's often compared to a cheese lasagne, but it's lighter and more delicate. Making the dough from scratch takes practice, so this recipe uses an easier home method with wide fresh pasta sheets or yufka.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 15 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 45 min
- Hard
- Serves 8
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the cheese with the parsley. Whisk the eggs with the milk. Heat the oven to 190°C and butter a 25 × 35 cm tray.
Bring the salted water to a boil. Cook the pastry sheets 2–3 at a time for 1 minute only, then lift into a bowl of cold water and drain on a cloth.
Layer half the sheets in the tray, brushing each with melted butter. Spread the cheese filling over, then layer the remaining sheets, buttering each one.
Pour the egg and milk mixture over the top and the remaining butter. Bake for 35–40 minutes until puffed and deep golden.
Rest for 15 minutes, then cut into squares and serve warm.
Kitchen notes
Boil the sheets very briefly; they finish cooking in the oven and should not turn mushy.
Turkish white cheese is salty. If using feta, taste before adding any extra salt; you probably won't need it.
Traditional homemade dough: knead 3 cups flour, 4 eggs and a pinch of salt into a stiff dough, divide into 10 and roll each paper-thin.
The queen of börek
Turkey has dozens of börek, from crisp rolled sigara böreği to coiled and layered trays. Su böreği is considered the finest, and making it well is a mark of a skilled cook. It appears on special breakfast tables, at tea parties and at family celebrations.
Boiled, then baked
The unusual step is boiling. Very thin sheets of egg dough are cooked in boiling water for a moment, then cooled in cold water and layered with butter. Baking crisps the top layers while the inside stays soft and silky, a texture no other börek has.
The home method
Rolling a dozen paper-thin sheets by hand is the hardest part, so many home cooks now use shortcuts. Fresh lasagne sheets are the closest substitute, giving a very similar result. Turkish yufka also works. White cheese is traditional; feta mixed with a little ricotta or paneer gives a softer, less salty filling.
Serving
Serve warm in squares with Turkish tea, as part of a weekend breakfast with olives and tomatoes, or with ayran for lunch.
Questions people ask
Why is it called water börek?
Because the pastry sheets are boiled in water before layering, which gives the soft, layered texture inside.
Can I add spinach or mince?
Yes. Cooked spinach mixed into the cheese, or a layer of cooked spiced mince, are both popular.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble it up to a day ahead and refrigerate, then add the egg mixture and bake when needed.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 14 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
