Amazing Water Borek Recipe!

on November 18, 2021

Water Borek

How to Make Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği)

Borek is one of the most traditional pastry dishes that is still enjoyed widely today throughout the Anatolia (Turkey). We, Turks, love borek (pastry dishes) very much and mostly consume them in breakfasts. Actually, borek refers to a family of pastries generally prepared using the paper-sheet thin dough known as phyllo or in Turkish: "Yufka". Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği) is the star of all Turkish borek recipes.

In this post, we are going to share our very unique borek (pastry dish) recipe with you. Its name is "Turkish Water Borek", in Turkish: "Su Böreği". It is in a league of its own not only in its preparation style in which very thin sheets of hand-rolled dough are boiled before being baked but also in the wide affinity for this particular version evident in its widespread availability. Traditionally layered with a mixture of white cheese (feta cheese), parsley and ample butter, Turkish water borek is served in lasagna style slices. You can find this unique borek very easily in every corner of Anatolia.

What is Water Borek (Su Böreği)!

Yes, we know the name "Water Borek - Su Boreği" sounds weird but it has a reason for sure. What gives its name is one of the steps of the its recipe instructions. Homemade phyllo sheets (yufka) are cooked in simmering water and then stuffed and baked. That is why it is called water borek (Su boreği).

This moist borek is so delicious, we prepared a big batch and sold them for charity in the "our kid's school events" in Ankara (2018). Also many our friends sold them for charity in the "Women‘s Event" in Istanbul, Izmir and Antalya cities. They were a great hit and sold out very quickly.

In local Anatolian (Turkish) villages a good bride candidate is supposed to make a good water borek, to impress her mother in law, so that she is pleased and willing to bless the wedding. What about us? Ofcourse, we made a good water borek, to impress our mother in laws. And "Thanks God" we were successful (LOL).

Turkish Unique Borek: Water Borek / Su Böreği

How to Make Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği)!

As we said above of this post; Water Borek is very unique and it is one of the most favoured borek (pastry dishes) around Anatolia (Turkey). Actually, however this recipe abit takes time, but it is not difficult and complicated. Try our recipe (from our moms and grandmoms) which is much easier to put it together and impress your family and guests.

Store-bought Phyllo Sheets or Homemade Phyllo Sheets!

It is the best when you use homemade phyllo sheets. Handmade phyllo sheets are always better. But, of course if you want, you can use store bought one.

Can I Prepare Water Borek the Day Before!

One of the nice things about this borek is that you can prepare it the night before, keep it in the refrigerayor and bake the next day. Like we did today. It performs much better when prepared the day before, as it absorbs all the mixture. But, if you don't have time, No worry! You can bake it right a way.

What is Water Borek Filling!

Generally you are free about the fillings of borek (pastry dishes). You can make a borek with cheese, ground meat, potatoes, spinach, leeks, lentils, almost anything. However this borek is always prepared with just cheese and parsley. Cheese, as seen in the picture is called Turkish white cheese the most similar cheese to it is feta cheese. You need to soak up the phyllo sheets / yufka sheets in a mixture of eggs, water and oil. This mixture makes the borek soft and moist. We prefer to use butter but if you want you can use sunflower oil or any vegetable oil of your choice will do.

For the Golden Top

You need an egg, olive oil and yogurt for the golden top of water borek (it is optional). If you don’t have yogurt on hand, you can use milk instead. Bye the way, we don't use this mixture for the golden top. We just bake it until golden top (without mixture of egg, olive oil and yogurt). It will be ready in about 45 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 180° Celsius (350° F). Also you can cook it on stove-top too. Rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği)

We always prepare this borek with just cheese and parsley. But, many of our friends claim that, water borek is prepared with ground beef and parsley/onion. We generally prepare both of these water borek recipes for the tea-breaks. Because couple of our friends prefer to water borek with ground beef and parsley/onion. Also, we promise them to share its recipe (water borek with ground beef and parsley/onion) on the next posts.

Here it is our Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği) recipe;

Very good family favourite;d

Serving: 4-6 Servings, Preparation Time: 20-25 minutes, Cooking Time: 45 minutes, Cuisine: Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisines,

Ingredients: For filling; White cheese -400 gr- (feta cheese)
and 1/2 bunch of Parsley

Ingreduents: butter -200 gr-,

Why are phylo sheets called a water borek?

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; 4-5 Cups flour,

Ingreduents: For Phyllo dougg; 6 eggs,

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; A cup of warm milk,

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; A tablespoon salt,

What kind of dough do you use for borek?

Ingredients: to cook to phyllo sheets: 3 Liter water to boil
and 3 Liter cold water in another pot,

Cooking process: you can bake it in over or on stove-top,

Chop your parsley finely and put it into bowl

What kind of borek do they make in Turkey?

Then combine the feta cheese and parsley well
and put it aside

Then melt your butter and put it aside,

Meanwhile prepare your phyllo sheets dough, add eggs,
warm milk and salt into bowl and mix them well,

Then add flour and knead it by your hands well,

Knead dough until the dough becomes as soft as your ear lobes
Then cut it into 8-10 balls,

Then leave it for a rest for about 30 mins.

Then with the help of roller pin, roll out each ball dough

Why are pyhllo sheets called a water borek?

Stack the phyllo sheets on kitchen counter

Then brush baking tray with oil and
place the first uncooked phyllo sheet in it

Then cook the rest of the sheets into water and
place them with the filling over the first sheet,

Fill a large pot with water and
add salt, oil and bring it to a boil

Take the phyllo sheet and drop it into the
simmering water, keep it there for 2-3 mins

Then transfer it into the cold water to stop cooking

Then brush the top of first sheet with melted butter
then place the cooked sheet over it and brush
the top of it with melted butter too,

Repeat with the 3 more phyllo sheets and
brush them with melted butter too,

Then spread the cheese-parsley fillings over the fifth sheet,

Then place the 6th phyllo sheet on it and brush it with
melted butter and repeat with the remaining sheets,

Finally bake water borek in the oven or on stove top
for about 45 mins or until golden top,

Lastly brush its top with the melted butter
and leave it for a while for cooling,

Cut it into squares and serve it as warm,

A hot cup of tea goes well with water borek in breakfast

Ingredients:

For Filling:

2 Cups White cheese, (nearly 400 grams white cheese / feta cheese),
1/2 Bunch parsley, chopped finely,
1 Cup Butter, melted, (nearly 200 gram),

For Phyllo Dough:

4-5 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting,
6 Normal size eggs,
1 Cup warm milk,
1 Tablespoon salt,
2 Tablespoons Sunflower oil,

To cook the phyllo sheets:

3 Liter water to boil in a pot,
3 Liter cold water in another pot,
1/2 Tablespoon salt,
2 Tablespoons Sunflower oil (or olive oil),

Preparation:

First of all, put your all ingredients on the work table. Then make the filling first; combine your cheese and chopped parsley in a bowl and put it aside. Also, keep the melted butter in another bowl on the side.
Secondly, make your phyllo sheets; combine flour, milk and eggs in a large bowl. Knead dough well either with your hands (or in your stand mixer). Bye the way, add little flour if necessary. It won’t be a soft dough due to the eggs (Actually, to make the phyllo sheets is very similar to making pasta). Knead dough until the dough becomes as soft as your ear lobes. Leave the dough for a rest for about 30 minutes.
Then transfer the dough on the counter and knead again and then roll it into a log and cut it into 8-10 balls. Then cover them with a damp kitchen towel so that they don’t dry when you are rolling them out one by one. Dust the kitchen counter with a little flour each time you roll out a dough ball. Stack the phyllo sheets on the counter. Make sure you sprinkle a generous amount of flour between each so that they don’t stick.
Then brush a baking tray with oil and place an uncooked phyllo sheet in the baking tray as the bottom of your water borek. Then cook the remaining phyllo sheets.
For cooking the phyllo sheets In simmering water; fill a large pot with water, add in salt and sunflower oil. Bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with cold water and put it aside. With the help of a thin rolling pin, take the phyllo sheet to the pot and drop it into the simmering water. Keep it there for 2-3 minutes and take it out with a large slotted spoon. Then transfer it into the cold water to stop cooking. Repeat the same process for the remaining phyllo sheets.
You know the first phyllo sheet you place uncooked in the baking tray! Brush the top of it with melted butter. Then place a cooked phyllo sheet on that first one. Brush it with melted butter too. Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets. Then spread the cheese and parsley mixture on the fifth phyllo sheet. Place the 6th phyllo sheet on it. Brush it with melted butter and repeat with the remaining sheets. (It is optional: Cover the tray with aluminum folio and keep it in the fridge so the phyllo sheet / yufka absorbs the melted butter for about half an hour. You can do all this the day before, to make it even better).
Finally bake it in a preheated oven at 350F/180C. for about 40-45 minutes or until golden (or cook it on the stowtop on low heat). Then cut it into squares and serve.

Enjoy!