This moreish coiled filo pie is always a hit with family and friends, and looks impressive to serve. We have many varieties of this coiled börek and this filling has Mediterranean and Aegean flavours. There is a lovely natural sweetness from the courgettes (zucchini), which complements the saltiness from Turkish beyaz peynir (feta cheese) so well.
Variations and serving suggestions:
Instead of courgettes, you can also use spinach, sautéed leeks, kale or Swiss chard. And please use up any cheese you have to hand. Serve with Kısır (page 130).
Serves:
4-6
Prepare ahead:
This can be prepared two days ahead. Keep covered in the refrigerator or freeze, gently wrapped in foil. You can reheat in a 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas 6 oven for 8–10 minutes (from chilled) or 15–20 minutes (from frozen) until piping hot.
Ingredients
- 7 filo pastry sheets
- (270 g/10 oz; 48 x
- 25cm/19 x 10 in),
- thawed if frozen
- 1 tablespoon sesame
- seeds
Filling
- 2 medium–large
- courgettes (zucchini)
- (485 g/1 lb 1 oz), trimmed
- and grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely
- chopped
- 200 g (7 oz) Turkish beyaz
- peynir or feta, drained
- and crumbled
- 1 small bunch of dill,
- finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon pul biber
- sea salt and freshly ground
- black pepper, to taste
Brushing
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Glazing
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
FOR THE F I LLING, place the grated courgette in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 10 minutes. Using a clean dish towel or sturdy paper towels, squeeze out the excess juice (this is an important step, otherwise this excess juice would make the pastry soggy). Place the prepared courgette in a large bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium heat, add the onion and sauté for 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the courgette, sauté for another 4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Stir in the crumbled cheese, dill and pul biber. Check the seasoning – you may not need additional salt, as the cheese is already salty. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C /400°F/gas 6. Line a round baking dish, 25 cm (10 in) in diameter, with baking paper.
Combine the ingredients for brushing in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the beaten egg and olive oil for glazing.
Open your filo pastry sheets, gently lay them on a dry, clean surface and cover with a damp towel to keep them moist. Take only two sheets at a time and keep the rest covered under the damp towel. Lay two filo sheets on top of each other on a clean, dry surface. Brush the top sheet with the milk, egg and olive oil mixture.
Place about 145 g (5 oz) of the filling in a line, along the long edge near you, leaving 2 cm (¾ in) at each end filling free (take care not to overfill so that the pastry stays intact). Gently roll up into a cylinder. Brush the pastry edge with the milk, egg and olive oil mixture. Starting from one end, gently wind the filo into a coil and place in the centre of the baking dish. Brush the top and sides of the coiled pastry with the egg, milk and olive oil mixture (this also helps to patch up any broken pastry).
Repeat the same procedure with the next four filo pastry sheets, using two sheets at a time. Coil each filo cylinder around the previous one to make a larger spiral. Make sure to brush the top and sides of the coiled pastry with the egg, milk and olive oil mixture. Fold the last remaining filo sheet in half and brush with the egg, milk and olive oil mixture. Place the remaining filling in a line along the edge and roll up again into a cylinder. Coil around the previous one to complete the spiral. Brush the top and sides of the coiled pastry with the egg, milk and olive oil mixture and patch up any broken pastry.
TO FINISH, brush the top and visible edges of the pie with the glaze mixture and sprinkle the sesame seeds over. Bake for about 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and cooked through. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then slice into wedges to serve.
Recipe extracted from Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes from My Turkish Kitchen by Özlem Warren
Published by Hardie Grant Books | Photography by Sam A Harris
