Potato Borek

5 from 6 votes

Scrumptious Turkish pastries made with potato and cheese wrapped in yufka sheets.

Prep Time50 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 162kcal

3 pieces yufka (very thin sheets of dough, also called filo) (125 grams each)
1 egg yolk or 1 tablespoon yoghurt mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil (for egg wash)
sesame seeds or nigella seeds (to garnish)

Fill a medium saucepan with cold water and add the potatoes in.
Put the pan on medium heat, bring to a boil and gently simmer the potatoes on low heat for 30 minutes or until soft in the middle.
Cool the potatoes down under running cold water and peel.
Grate the potatoes and set them aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the milk along with the melted butter.
Add the mixture into the bowl with the grated potatoes.
Add chopped parsley, feta and kasar cheese, salt, freshly ground pepper and chilli (if using) to the bowl and give it a good stir.

Preheat the oven to 180 C°.
Lay a sheet of yufka on a work surface and spoon ⅓ of the potato filling onto it. Spread the mixture evenly with the back of a spoon, taking care not to tear the yufka.
Place the second yufka sheet on top and cover it with another ⅓ of the filling.
Trim the sides of the yufka into a square and place the trimmings on top of the filling.
Repeat the same with the last yufka and the potato filling.
Roll the yufka sheet carefully into a neat cylinder.
Cut the cylinder into two equal pieces.
Wrap them with cling film and then place them into the freezer for about an hour or until semi-frozen.
Wrap the cylinder with cling film and place it into the freezer for about an hour or until slightly frozen and easy to handle.
Cut the cylinder crosswise into slices two fingers thick using a sharp knife, and arrange them on a greaseproof paper-lined baking tray(s).
Eggwash the slices and sprinkle on some sesame seeds or nigella seeds.
Cook them in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.