Börek (also spelled bourek, burek and bòrek) is a deliciously flaky, baked savoury pastry. It is believed that börek originated in the old Ottoman Empire from what is present-day Turkey. Since its creation, börek has become a very popular dish in countries spanning the Balkans and Eastern Europe, Greece and all the way to Armenia and North Africa.
This pastry comes stuffed with different fillings ranging from meat, vegetables, potato, cheese or a combination of ingredients. The shape also varies depending on where it’s made. Sometimes they are flat pastries, sometimes a log shape and other times resemble a pie.
The filling I have made consists of fresh spinach and feta cheese which is quite a traditional combination. I have also added in chopped Swiss brown mushrooms because I had some on hand but this is an optional ingredient. The filling for this börek is quite similar to the filling I use for Greek pie Spanakopita and the Turkish flatbread Gözleme. I adore this combination of ingredients so it is no surprise that I now have three dishes on the blog with subtle tweaks on the same!
I have used store-bought frozen filo (phyllo) pastry Sheets to make the börek. It makes things so much faster and easier! I defrosted the filo sheets by placing the package in the fridge overnight. The next day, the sheets were ready to be used. Note that if you are working with filo pastry for the first time, you will notice that these sheets are very delicate and tear easily. Not to worry though - a few tears here and there are perfectly acceptable!
This vegetarian rendition of börek is perfect as a breakfast or brunch dish or even as an appetizer when you have guests over. It looks amazing and tastes fabulous too. My kids loved it so I'm convinced that it will have widespread appeal 😊
Try this recipe folks and let me know how just much you love it!
