Turkish Lasagna - Water Borek with Ground Beef Recipe!

 

Water Borek with Ground Beef 

How to Make Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği)

Borek/Börek is a general term for filled pastries. Borek, also known as burek, byrek, boureki, or brik, is a kind of stuffed pastry prepared from a phyllo-like dough (in Turkish: Yufka). It is crisp and flaky from the outside while tender and rich on the inside.  It is consumed throughout the Middle East and Mediterreanen regions alot. In Greece, it is called as (Bourek), in Italy, it is called (Pierogi), in Russia, it is called (Pirochk). 

In this post, we are going to share our "Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği)" with you. We also call this borek as "Turkish Lasagna". Actually, we have shared water borek with feta cheese and parsley in couple of weeks ago in this blogsite. However this borek is always prepared with just cheese and parsley. Its ground beef and onion version is also so popular through out the Anatolian provinces. We have prepared and consumed "Water Borek" since the Ottoman Era. We can say that water borek is over 600 years old. But origins of borek older it. 

History of Borek (Börek)!

Borek (in Turkish: Börek)’s origins are, admittedly, poorly attested. Only a handful of documents survive from before the mid-12th century; the scattered remains that have come down to us contain few clues about where and when it first appeared. There are plenty of theories about the borek. Among the most common is that it derived from the Byzantine plakous – a type of flat cake, descended from the Roman placenta (Placenta Cake), consisting of two sheets of pastry, stuffed with honey and cheese or chopped nuts.

 

On the other hand, recent ethnographic research suggests that borek is more likely to have been invented by the nomadic Turks of Central Asia at some point before the seventh century. In nomadic Turks times, borek reflected the harsh life of the herdsmen (nomadic time). Cooked on a saj (a flat-iron griddle), suspended over an open fire or placed on hot stones (it required only those limited foodstuffs which were available on the steppe) the butter and cheese they made themselves from the milk of sheep and goats (or cows); the parsley which grew wild in the plains; and the grains that could be bought (or bartered) in bazaars.

Borek (Börek) Name Comes From!

According to the Austrian Turcologist, Andrea Tietze, "borek (börek)" comes from the Persian "bûrak", which referred to any dish made with phyllo (yufka) dough. This, in turn, probably came from the Turkic root, "bur": meaning "to twist" an allusion to the way thin sheets of dough had to be manipulated to produce a layered effect.

It was not long before borek (börek) began spreading its wings. From the early seventh century onwards, the various Turks began migrating westwards across Central Asia region, taking their favourite pastry with them. Within a matter of decades, the Gökturks confederation (having already established control over most of Siberia) had reached the Aral Sea; the Khazars had settled in the Caucasus; and the Bulgars had carried borek (börek) into what is today Ukraine. Still organised along nomadic lines, few of the states they founded lasted long. But by the early 11th century, the Seljuks had introduced it not only to Persia, but also to areas of Eastern Anatolia formerly occupied by the Byzantine Empire.

Borek/Börek also put down roots elsewhere, especially in Greece, the Balkans and Crimea. There, it merged with local cuisines to assume new forms and new names. For example: In Bosnia, where the Ottoman Empire occupation was often fraught with conflict, burek was twisted into a spiral and stuffed with cottage cheese, meat, potatoes or spinach. In Crete, boureki came to be based on feta cheese and zucchinis. Among the Tatars, delicious borek (çibörek) resembled a baked flatbread, filled with lamb, onions and spices. Thanks to expansion along the North African coast, versions even began to appear in todays Tunisia and Algeria.

Turkish Lasagna - Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef

What About "Water Borek"!

According to the historians; Turkish Water Borek (Su Böreği), literally translated as water borek or sometimes called "Turkish Lasagna" is a delicious dish originating from the time of Ottoman Empire, in the Anatolian cities. We can say that water borek is over 600 years old.

How to Make Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği)!

As we said before, water borek is very unique and it is one of the most favoured borek (pastry dishes) throughout the Anatolia (Turkey). 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.

Recipe for Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği)

We always prepare this borek with just cheese and parsley. But couple of our friends prefer to water borek with ground beef and onion. We love this borek too. And this version of water borek is also known "Turkish Lasagna". We are sure that when you try this recipe, you like it. 

Here it is our Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği)'s recipe;

Very good family favourite;

Serving: 4-6 Servings,  Preparation Time: 40-45 minutes, Cooking Time: 45 minutes, Cuisine: Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisines,

Ingredients: For filling; 500-600 gr Ground beef,

Ingredients: For filling; a normal size chopped onion,

Ingredients: For filling; 4 tablespoons sunflower oil,

Ingredients: For filling; 1/2 teaspoon salt,

Ingredients: For filling; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper,

Ingredients: For filling; 200 gr melted butter,

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

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; 6 Normal size eggs,

Ingredients: For Phyllo dough; 1 cup milk,

Ingredients: to cook to phyllo dough; 3 Liter water to boil
 in a pot and 3 Liter cold water in another pot

Preparation of filling: Chop your onion, then fry it
with alittle sunflower oil for 3-5 mins,

Then add ground beef and stir mixture. Then add salt and
ground black pepper and fry mixture until its color changes

Then Put the meat and onion mixture aside.
Also keep the melted butter in another bowl on the side,

Preparation of phyllo dough: combine flour,
eggs, milk in a large bowl,

Mix ingredients very well. Dough won’t be soft due to the eggs,

Knead the dough until dough becomes as soft as your ear lobes,
 then leave it for rest for about 30 mins, 

Then roll it into a log and cut it into 8-10 balls,
 then cover with a towel so they dont dry,

Or keep it into plastic bowl so they dont dry,

Then roll them out one by one,

Stack the phyllo sheets on the kitchen counter.
Sprinkle flour between each so that they dont stick,

Then brush the oven tray with oil, and place uncooked
phyllo sheet into tray

First phyllo sheet becomes the bottom of the borek,

For cooking the phyllo dough: fill a large pot with water and
add salt and sunflower oil,  then bring it to boil. Then fill a large
bowl with cold water and put it aside,

Then take phyllo sheet and drop it into the
simmering water keep it for about 2-3 mins,  

Then transfer it into cold water to stop cooking,
repeat the same process for the remaining phyllo sheets 

Brush the top of first phyllo sheet with melted butter.
Then place the cooked phyllo sheet on it
and brush it with melted butter too,

Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets 

Then spread the ground beef and onion mixture
 on the fifth phyllo sheet, 

Place sixth phyllo sheet on it and brush it with melted butter
 and repeat the same process for the remaining phyllo sheets  

Finally bake it in a preheated oven at 180 C (350 F)
for about 40-45 mins.

Brush the top of borek with melted butter,

Then cut it into squares and serve. 

Turkish Lasagna - Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef 

Ingredients:

For Filling:

• 500-600 gr Ground beef, 
• 1 Normal size onion, chopped,
• 4 Tablespoons sunflower oil (or olive oil),
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 Teaspoon ground black pepper,
• 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: 

1. First of all, put your all ingredients on the work surface. Then make the filling first. For filling: stir fry the chopped onions with a little sunflower oil (or olive oil) for a while (3-5 minutes). Then, add ground meat, salt and ground black pepper and continue to frying until their colour changes. (if needed, you can add some more oil). Then put it aside. Also, keep the melted butter in another bowl on the side. 
2. 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. 
3. Then transfer the dough on the kitchen 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 kitchen counter. Make sure you sprinkle a generous amount of flour between each so that they don’t stick. 
4. 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. 
5. 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. 
6. 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 ground beef and onions 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. Or You can do all this the day before, to make it even better). 
7. 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!

Please let us know how this "Turkish Water Borek with Ground Beef (Kıymalı Su Böreği) Recipe" turns out for you in the comments. We are always so eager to hear from you.

Turkish Water Borek ( Kıyalı Suböreği),

You may like our;

• Turkish-pacanga-pastry-borek-recipe,
  
• Water-borek-with-feta-cheese-recipe,
  
• Hunters-borek-pastry-recipe,
  
• How-to-make-albanian-leek-pie-lakror,
  
• Creamy-cheesy-potato-spinach-gratin-recipe,
  
• Feta-and-parsley-pancakes-recipe,
  
• Turkish-flat-bread-bazlama-recipe,
  
• How-to-make-turkish-plain-pancake.
  

Breadvesalt@gmail.com