You will love this Turkish borek recipe with minced meat, which will be very good for you both taste and appearance, especially those who work a lot. When I say borek , I think of the smile that surrounded the house where my mother used to bake the trays in old hood ovens in my childhood. Today I prepared the pastry, which can be made with minced meat, cheese or various herbs.
Turkish borek with minced meat can be used as a main dish, as they are filling. This food has a high carbohydrate content. Therefore, it is recommended to eat them in moderation. I am sure that you will all love the Turkish pastry that you can practically prepare for your guests who come suddenly or on busy days, as it is made from ready-made phyllo dough.
Table of Contents
What Is The History Of Turkish Borek?
Although it is not known exactly in which culture the pastry first existed and on which table it took its place, I have always wondered how this flavor came to our tables, more precisely, the history of each dish we consume on our tables is a matter of curiosity for me. In the first place, it was compared to the Byzantine pastries filled with honey and cheese or nuts. But if we go back a little further, we can find traces of the Turkish pastry among the nomadic Central Asian Turks.
The pastries reflect the hard life of the shepherds. Pastries were prepared with a flat sieve over the fire or on hot stones, butter and cheese were made from sheep and goat milk, and parsley grew wild on the steppe. Over time, like any other topic, Turkish borek began to change with history.
With the migration of peoples that began in Central Asia, different varieties emerged in each country, and thanks to the Mongols, borek found its way into Chinese cuisine. Here it was prepared in ovens and not on the fire. It also gained new popularity in Persia and the Caucasus. In the late 1350s, the Ottoman era began. The Ottomans easily adopted the tastes of the territories they conquered. The fame of Turkish borek spread even more after it entered the palace. By the beginning of the 16th century, there were already four pastry shops in every street.
How Many Calories Are In Turk Borek?
100 grams of mince Turkish borek contain 248 calories. 100 grams of mince pie contain 28.83 grams of carbohydrates, 9.2 grams of protein, 10.39 grams of fat and 1.76 grams of fiber. It is a food with a high glycemic index, which is due to the flour used for its preparation. For this reason, its consumption should be considered and limited when dieting or if you suffer from diabetes.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per container
Serving Size100g
- Amount Per ServingCalories248
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
10.4g
16%
- Cholesterol 45.2mg 16%
- Potassium 153mg 5%
- Total Carbohydrate
28.8g
10%
- Dietary Fiber 1.8g 8%
- Protein 9.2g 19%
- Vitamin A 33.5%
- Vitamin C 0.9%
- Calcium 37.1%
- Iron 1.3%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Is Borek Healthy?
As with many foods, the content of the selected product is of great importance when eating Turkish borek . A healthy and nutritious ingredient is also essential for making pies, and all ingredients used in making pies must be fresh. Ingredients such as eggs and cheese, which are commonly used in baked goods, meet our body’s daily nutritional needs and provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety with a reasonable amount of calories. In addition, vitamin-rich ingredients increase vitality and have a preventive effect against some diseases. A light pastry helps us to eat healthy and fill our stomach at the same time.
In addition, black cumin in pastries has been used for thousands of years to treat diseases around the world. While the vitamins A, H, C, B1, B2 and B6 contained in it contribute to our health, the ingredient thymoquinone is a source of cure for many diseases, some of which are listed as bronchitis, rheumatism, allergies, arthritis and asthma. On the other hand, it reduces uric acid and lowers blood sugar.
From this point of view, the contribution of freshly consumed pastry to our daily life and health is obvious. The most important factor to give preference to is that it is prepared in a healthy and pure environment, whether it is herb dough, cheesecake or mince pie. Warm Turkish borek , prepared daily with fresh ingredients, will allow you to bring pleasant meals to the table.
For more information, check out my recipes below for other baked goods you may be interested in.
After this brief information about the Turkish borek , we go to the kitchen to get our recipe and immediately start preparing.
Turkish Borek
Course: AppetizersCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes40
minutes248
kcalIngredients
5 prepared-made phyllo dough
1 medium onion
Three hundred grams of floor red meat
Black pepper
Salt
Red flakes pepper
- FOR SAUCE
2 eggs
1 packet of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of oil
1 bowl of yogurt
- FOR THE ABOVE
Black cumin
Sesame
Directions
- We knead the spices and parsley with the minced meat. We add a touch of oil to the pan and lightly fry our onions. We add the minced meat to the fried onions and fry it.
- Once the mince has set, we oil our tray. This is important so the gold doesn’t burn and brown.
- We start by dividing the phyllo in half and placing it on the sheet pans. The prepared sauce is applied to the phyllo with the help of a broom, continuing until we have 2.5 layers of phyllo, half the amount.
- After reaching 2.5 layers, we add the minced paste that we have organized. We put the remaining 2.5 layers of dough back on the tray, holding the sauce with the help of a broom until the dough is ready.
- Finally, we sprinkle it with black cumin and sesame seeds and bake it in a preheated oven at one hundred and eighty degrees until golden brown.
Tips For The Preparation Of Borek
Pre-made Turkish borek phyllo dough is one of the saving substances for people who are in the kitchen for the first time and for people who have no time left. It is a great relief, especially for people who have no more time for the steps such as proofing, kneading and opening a long dough. There are also secrets for making ready-made recipes with the taste of hand-rolled borek dough, which is usually used for making pastries. The taste of hand-rolled dough is always very different.
- The most important factor in its preparation is the choice of Turkish borek dough. Be sure to buy gently made borek, especially from stores that offer clean phyllo dough. If you don’t have access to phyllo dough on a daily basis, try to buy the freshest phyllo dough available in the markets, as much as possible. This grade could be very important as the dough gives the pastry all its glory.
- It is possible to compose special pastry fillings. Even during the preparation, care should be taken to ensure that they are not dry. For example, one of the most important tricks is to use pork with medium fat content for a filling with minced meat. Also, for a stuffing with potatoes, it is necessary to use ingredients that give flavor to the stuffing, such as butter and onions.
- Using full-fat cheese in cheese fillings is one of the crucial secrets to the flavor of borek. When you make your filling with cheese, you can achieve extraordinary and mythical results by mixing the mortar with ingredients such as eggs, milk and melted butter.
- After shaping the pastry, it’s time for the final stage. Another important flavor secret is to drizzle a little more of the sauce on the pastry and wait for it to soak before cooking. At these stages, you can make your pastry even tastier by resting it in the freezer or refrigerator. The taste of pastries prepared in this way the night before, sauced and stored in the refrigerator can be much tastier.
- The final step is to prepare the pastry. After you bake the cookies and remove them from the oven, you can optionally drizzle them with butter. You can protect them from drying out by covering them with a simple kitchen material or cloth. The delicious pastry is equipped with a variety of ingredients and crispy.
How To Store Borek
If you want to store leftover Turkish borek in the freezer, let them cool at room temperature before placing them in the freezer. Wrap the cooled pastries in a storage container or freezer bag and place in the freezer. The pastries can be stored in the freezer without being cooked. If you do not want to keep the pastry in the freezer and use it in a short time, you can keep it in a storage container in a not too humid place at room temperature for 4-5 days after baking and cooling. Wrap the pastry in aluminum foil and place it in a cooler bag. Seal it and place it in the refrigerator.
If you want to consume the finished phyllo, which is sold in a nylon package, in a short time, you can store it in the refrigerator as you bought it. No additional processing is required for this, but remember that the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
What To Do When The Borek Comes Out Of The Oven?
Take your Turkish borek , prepared with much effort and very well baked, out of the oven and place it on the work surface. If possible, dampen the cloth that completely covers the tray and wring it out lightly. Cover the pastry. Wait until the first winter, that is, until the cloth is dry. In this way, the Turkish borek you prepare wonderful will remain soft.
I regret to inform you that my article on Turkish borek has come to an end. If you have any other questions about the Turkish borek recipe, don’t hesitate to stop by, I’m always willing to help! In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and have a great day!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Borek Turkish or Greek?
Borek is a pastry that can be prepared in various ways in Turkish cuisine by placing various ingredients between a rolled dough or phyllo.
Where did Borek originate?
Looking first at the past of the Byzantine pastry, which is compared to a pastry filled with honey and cheese or hazelnuts, the first example is found among the nomadic Turks of Central Asia.
How do you explain burek?
It is a pastry baked in oil or in the oven after placing cheese, spinach, minced meat, etc. between thinly rolled out dough or pre-made phyllo dough and forming them into various shapes.
What is burek in Serbia?
Burek, the pastry we know. It is a very popular appetizer in Belgrade, of Ottoman origin, baked or fried and made of thin phyllo dough. It can be filled with cheese, minced meat or mushrooms, but in some regions it is also served with simple or sweet ingredients.
How do you cook frozen burek?
If you want to use them, take them out of the freezer and do not wait until they are thawed. Brush them with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees until golden brown.
