Effortless Turkish Spiral Borek (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Filling
01 -
120 milliliters water
02 -
Kosher salt, to taste
03 -
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (totally optional)
04 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
05 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
06 -
1 large onion, chopped up
07 -
450 grams ground beef, 80/20 blend
→ Basting Sauce
08 -
2 large eggs
09 -
120 milliliters neutral oil (like canola or veggie oil)
10 -
240 milliliters whole milk
→ Pastry
11 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 -
15–18 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted
→ Finish
13 -
Nigella or black sesame seeds, for sprinkling
14 -
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
# Instructions:
01 -
Throw the olive oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Toss in the onions and let 'em get really soft and almost see-through, about 10 minutes.
02 -
Dump the beef in next. Stir it all up and smash any big bits, letting it go till there's no more pink—around 10 minutes or so.
03 -
Now mix in the Aleppo pepper (if you want), some salt, a good bit of black pepper, and pour in the water. Let it all simmer away till the pan's dry—15 minutes or thereabouts. Take it off the heat and let it cool down. Feel free to tweak the salt or pepper now.
04 -
In a mixing bowl, whisk up milk, eggs, and oil till it feels smooth. Nothing fancy, just mix.
05 -
Crank your oven to 190°C. Grab that round baking pan and brush it with the leftover olive oil.
06 -
Lay out 2 sheets of phyllo, one on the other, on your counter. Give the top sheet a coat of the milk mix. Slap about 3–4 spoonfuls of beef along the long edge, then roll it up nice and loose.
07 -
Pick up that filled roll and swirl it into a coil, popping it right in the middle of your greased pan. Keep making more just like it, spiraling each one around the last so you fill up the pan.
08 -
Brush the big spiral well with whatever milk mix you've got left. Scatter on both types of seeds to make it look pretty.
09 -
Toss it in for 35 minutes, bake till crispy and golden. Slice it up and eat while it's warm.
# Notes:
01 -
For crisp pastry, work quick with the phyllo sheets and cover any you aren't using with a damp towel so they don't dry out.
02 -
Aleppo pepper gives a mellow kick and nice aroma, but mild chili flakes work just fine too.