Turkish Spiral Borek Spiced Beef (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Filling
01 -
120 milliliters water
02 -
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
03 -
Kosher salt, to taste
04 -
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (optional)
05 -
450 grams ground beef (80/20 blend)
06 -
1 large onion, diced
07 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
→ Basting Sauce
08 -
120 milliliters neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
09 -
2 large eggs
10 -
240 milliliters whole milk
→ Pastry
11 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 -
15 to 18 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
→ Finish
13 -
Nigella or black sesame seeds for sprinkling
14 -
Sesame seeds for topping
# Instructions:
01 -
Pop your pan into the oven and bake till the pastry's deep golden and crackly, probably 35 minutes. Let it cool just a bit, then slice into wedges and dig in while it's warm.
02 -
Generously slather the rest of that milk mix over your spiral. Scatter sesame and nigella seeds (or black sesame if you have those) all over the top.
03 -
Gently curl your filled pastry log into a big spiral and lay it down in the middle of your oiled pan. Do the same with the rest, wrapping each new coil around the last one, working your way to the edge.
04 -
On a flat surface, put down two sheets of phyllo, one on top of the other. Brush the one on top with your milk mixture. Add 3–4 spoonfuls of beef filling along the long side, then loosely roll it up.
05 -
Crank the oven up to 190°C. Grab your round 40-centimeter pan and brush it with the last bit of olive oil.
06 -
Whisk together your eggs, milk, and oil in a bowl so everything's nice and smooth.
07 -
Mix in Aleppo pepper (if you want), a good pinch of salt, and some pepper. Pour in the water. Let it simmer until all the liquid’s gone, about 15 minutes. Let the filling cool off and check if the flavors need a tweak.
08 -
Throw in the ground beef next. Bust up the meat with your spatula and cook until it’s totally brown—that’ll take about 10 minutes.
09 -
Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a big pan over medium heat. Toss in the diced onion and cook till it gets soft and see-through, which should take you about 10 minutes.
# Notes:
01 -
Phyllo dries out super fast, so cover extra sheets with a damp towel and keep moving to get the crispiest bite.
02 -
Aleppo pepper gives a gentle kick and a special smell. Swap it for mild chili flakes if you need to.