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Türkiye, Middle East and Africa · İskender Kebab

İskender Sigara Börek

İskender-spiced beef and cheese rolled in filo like cigars and fried crisp, with a tomato-butter dip and pul biber butter yogurt for dunking.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time45 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsCook the minced beef filling through until browned before using it.

Method

  1. Heat a 24 cm pan on medium-high heat, add the minced beef and onion and cook for , breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and the liquid has cooked off. Add the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute more, then spread on a plate to cool for 10 minutes. Once completely cool, mix in the parsley and mozzarella (added hot, the cheese melts and leaks out).

    Add in this stepMinced beef 200 gOnion (finely grated or chopped) ½Tomato paste (filling) 1 tspSweet paprika ¾ tspGround cumin ¼ tspSalt (filling) ½ tspBlack pepper 1 pinchFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbspShredded mozzarella 30 g

    medium-high heat

  2. Cut each filo sheet in half lengthways to make long strips. Spoon about 1½ tablespoons of filling in a line at one short end, fold in the long sides, roll up tightly into a cigar and seal the end with a dab of water. Make 8 rolls this way. Keep unused filo under a damp tea towel so it doesn't dry out.

    Add in this stepFilo sheets (about 30×40 cm) or yufka 4

  3. Melt the dip butter in a small pan, fry the tomato paste on medium heat for , then add the water and salt, lower to low heat and simmer for into a glossy dip.

    Add in this stepButter (dip) 25 gTomato paste (dip) 1½ tbspWater (dip) 100 mlSalt (dip) 1 pinch

    medium heat→low heat

  4. Pour oil about 1 cm deep into a 24 cm frying pan and heat on medium-high heat to 170 °C. Lay the böreks in seam side down and fry for , turning, until golden all over. Fry in batches without crowding and drain on paper towels. Place them away from you, as the oil can spit.

    Add in this stepOil for shallow-frying 150 ml

    medium-high heat

  5. Spoon the room-temperature yogurt into a bowl. Melt the topping butter in a small pan on medium heat for , until foaming and golden, then turn off the heat, add the pul biber and pour over the yogurt and the tomato dip. Serve the böreks with both dips.

    Add in this stepThick yogurt (room temperature) 120 gButter (yogurt topping) 15 gPul biber ½ tsp

    medium heat

Cook's tip

Always cool the filling before rolling, so the filo stays dry and crisp. To bake instead, brush with melted butter and bake at 200 °C for 15–20 minutes.

Cooking it at camp

Roll the böreks at home and freeze them, then carry them in the cooler; at the campsite shallow-fry them in a deep pan, or cook them in a buttered cast-iron pan with a lid, turning often.