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A golden brown Turkish spiral borek sprinkled with nigella seeds on a baking sheet.
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Turkish Spiral Borek with Spiced Ground Beef

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 455kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g ground beef
  • 2 large onions , finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sal t
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 0.5 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 package (500g) yufka or phyllo dough sheets
  • 0.5 cup plain yogurt
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 1 large eg g
  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onions until soft and translucent.
  • Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, using a wooden spoon to break it into small crumbles.
  • Stir in the salt, black pepper, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and pine nuts, then cook for 3 minutes before removing from heat to cool.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, 0.25 cup olive oil, and the egg to create a liquid glaze.
  • Lay a sheet of yufka or phyllo on a flat surface and brush it lightly with the yogurt glaze.
  • Spread a thin line of the beef mixture along the edge of the pastry.
  • Roll the pastry into a long cylinder, then coil the cylinder around itself to form a spiral shape.
  • Place the spiral on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Brush the tops of all spirals with the remaining glaze and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the boreks are golden brown and crisp.