Su Böreği
Su böreği takes its name from the distinctive step of boiling the sheets before assembly, a technique that sets it apart from most other Ottoman börek pastries, which bake straight from raw sheets. It is thought to have originated in Ottoman palace kitchens, where cooks had the time and skill for the lengthy process of boiling, buttering and layering dozens of thin sheets. The resulting texture is noticeably different from crisp böreks — moister, softer, almost pudding-like inside, with only the surface turning lightly golden. It remains a popular breakfast dish and mezé, often prepared at home for special occasions because of the considerable time it demands.
Boiled sheets, not just baked
The pastry sheets are first briefly boiled in water, giving the dish its name — böreği «of water».
Many layers, generously buttered
Dozens of boiled sheets are stacked in layers, each brushed with melted butter and oil, for a moist, rich texture.
Feta cheese between the layers
Crumbled feta cheese is scattered between every few layers, melting gently as it bakes.
Cut into diamonds before baking
The pastry is cut into neat diamond shapes before it goes into the oven, so portions separate cleanly once baked.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 10 pastry sheets (yufka)
- 200g crumbled feta cheese
- 150g melted butter
- 50ml oil
- 2 eggs
- 200ml milk
- 1 tsp salt
- Water for boiling sheets
- Sesame seeds
How to make it
- 1Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then briefly boil each pastry sheet for one minute, carefully lifting it out with a wide spatula.
- 2Beat the eggs with the milk in a separate bowl to make the moistening mixture.
- 3Butter a baking pan, then lay the first boiled sheet on the bottom.
- 4Sprinkle crumbled feta and pour a little of the egg mixture over every third sheet, alternating with plain sheets brushed with melted butter.
- 5Keep layering all the sheets, finishing with a sheet generously brushed with butter and oil on top.
- 6Cut the pastry into diamonds before baking.
- 7Bake at 180°C for forty minutes, until golden, and scatter sesame seeds over the top before serving.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
