Cheese and Sesame Börek
Crispy, golden, crescent-shaped savory pastries, generously coated in toasted sesame seeds and stuffed with a rich and salty white cheese filling.
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45 min
Turca / Oriente Medio
4 servings
The story behind
Börek traces its ancient roots back to the nomadic Turkish tribes of Central Asia before being elevated to a high-status culinary art inside the grand imperial kitchens of the Ottoman Empire. The ring and crescent-shaped versions are extremely popular street food items for quick breakfasts in Istanbul, devoured warm alongside a small traditional glass of hot Turkish black tea. The definitive baking secret to securing that ultra-crunchy, deeply bronzed crust seen in your file is dipping the shaped dough into a mixture of water and grape molasses (*pekmez*) right before rolling it through the sesame seeds; this caramelizes the shell beautifully in the heat.
Instructions
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1In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast and a pinch of sugar into the warm water. Let it stand undisturbed for 5 minutes until frothy.
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2Add the all-purpose flour, olive oil, and fine salt into the bowl. Knead vigorously on a clean surface for 8-10 minutes until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough ball. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise for 45 minutes.
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3In a smaller bowl, mash the crumbled feta cheese together with the shredded mozzarella until uniform.
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4Divide the risen dough ball into 4 equal portions and shape them into neat small round balls.
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5Using a rolling pin, flatten each ball into an elongated oval sheet. Lay a generous strip of the cheese filling right down the center lengthwise.
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6Fold the outer dough edges over the cheese filling and pinch the seams together very tightly, rolling the cylinder on the counter to smooth out into a uniform log.
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7Gently curve the log into a crescent shape to match the beautiful arched presentation seen in `Börek de queso.png`.
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8In a shallow bowl, whisk the grape molasses with the 3 tablespoons of water. Spread your raw sesame seeds thickly across a separate wide, flat plate.
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9Carefully submerge each dough crescent first into the sweet molasses wash, then immediately roll it through the sesame seeds, pressing gently so the surface is fully encrusted with seeds.
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10Place the coated pastries onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, make clean transverse cuts across both tips of each crescent to display the interior crumb layer just like the image.
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11Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 18-20 minutes, or until the exterior crust turns a rich, deep golden brown and the sesame seeds smell aromatic and toasted.
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12Remove from heat, let cool slightly for a couple of minutes, and arrange them neatly across a rustic olive wood cutting board, garnishing the space with fresh tomatoes and basil.
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