Sigara Boregi (Turkish Cheese Rolls)

Sigara Boregi - Cigarette Borek (Turkish Cheese Rolls) are crispy pastries made with thin filo sheets called yufka, filled with feta cheese, and then shallow-fried for extra crispness. These delicious boreks have a cylindric shape that looks like cannolis or taquitos but differ in taste.

Jump to:

• What is Sigara Boregi?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Sigara Boregi?
• Top Tip From The Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Sigara Boregi (Turkish Cheese Rolls)

Same as Su Boregi - Water Borek and Borek With Meat and Spinach, they are perfect as finger food, snack, breakfast, or as part of a mezze platter. You can make them in advance in big batches and freeze them for later. No need to defrost before frying, take them out of the freezer then fry them in hot oil.

What is Sigara Boregi?

Sigara Boregi, also known as Sigara Borek or Cigarette Borek, is a type of Turkish savory pastry called "Borek".

Borek is a general name for savory Turkish pastries made with a thin, crispy crust and various fillings. The most common way to cook them is in the oven although Turkish Cheese Rolls (Sigara Borek) are best when shallow fried in a pan.

Same as the Pacanga Boregi, you can make different variations by changing the fillings, but the cheese and herb filling is the most popular one. They're not the quickest to prepare but they are fairly easy to put together.

Why This Recipe Works?

• It's a great food for gatherings and entertainment, you can serve them as finger food, as a part of a mezze platter, or as a vegetarian appetizer.

• This recipe is very easy to follow with step-by-step pictures, instructions, and a short video tutorial.

• They freeze beautifully, you can keep the leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• You can make them ahead for up to 3 days and fry them when needed.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• Yufka - These round shape thin dough parcels are easy to find online or from Turkish or Middle Eastern food shops. You can use filo pastries instead which are similar but thinner than yufka, and they come in rectangular shapes. Filo (or phyllo) pastries are available in most supermarkets and shops, and you can buy them fresh or frozen.

• Feta - I prefer feta cheese made with sheep milk with high-fat content with a creamy texture. You can replace it with goat's cheese, cottage cheese, halloumi or Kasar cheese.

• Halloumi - It's a great tasting semi-hard cheese and I love adding it to my cheese fillings for pastries. You can omit it and add any other favorite cheese of yours.

• Herbs - Parsley, mint, and dill are my favorite herbs to pair with cheese but you can use basil, oregano, thyme, chervil, or chives instead. If you want to use dried herbs, use ⅓ of the amount.

How to Make Sigara Boregi?

Making these delicious cheese rolls is very simple and straightforward. However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:

Prepare the Filling

Crumble the feta cheese using a fork and place it in a bowl. Grate halloumi cheese and add it to the feta cheese. Add the chopped parsley, mint, dill, and freshly ground black pepper to the cheese mixture. Mix with a spoon to combine.

Roll the Pastries

Cut the filo pastries into 8 equal triangles. That would give you 24 triangles. Place a triangle of yufka on a large, flat surface, pointed end away from you.

Add a tablespoonful of cheese filling to the wide end and spread it into a thin line, leaving a small gap on either side.

Fold the flat end over the top of the cheese, fold the outer corners over the filling and roll the borek tightly. Wet the tip on each pastry at the pointed end to seal it. Set aside and continue with the remaining yufka and filling. 

Shallow fry the Boreks

Heat ¼ cup of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the boreks in the oil and fry on all sides until crispy and golden. Don't overcrowd the pan. When cooked, place the boreks on a paper kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

Top Tip From The Chef

When frying your Sigara Boreks, make sure you heat the oil to 185° C (365° F). If your oil is not hot enough, the pastries will get soggy and the cheese will start melting before the pastries get crispy.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more scrumptious Turkish Borek recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this fresh and healthy lemon Orzo Salad as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

This recipe is featured in Twinkl Picnic in the Park Blog.

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