MAKING YOUR OWN FILO PASTRY ( YUFKA ) AT HOME

I grew up on home made yufka ( filo pastry ) always made at home dried then stack together in big bundles to use as needed. Filo pastry is made using long thin ( 80 cm long , as shown above) rolling pin called OKLAVA. They will be available in continental food stores. Yufkas made using oklava then cooked on large pans called SAC. Just before dinner water sprinkled over the dry yufka, covered then after 5 minutes, it is folded it and ready to serve as bread. Since I don't have SAC to cook my yufka, I dried them for about an hour on the table then cut into portions and froze them for later use. If you are going to make boreks you can use it after 30 minutes of making the pastry. For baklava the yufka is even thinner and corn flour is used when rolling the pastry. If you are freezing the yufka, sprinkle cornflour between the layers before freezing to prevent sticking together. Ingredients below makes 5 yufkas.

• 1 cup of strong bread flour
• 1 cup of ordinary plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• Plain flour for dusting, during rolling the filo.

1) Mix salt with flour and make a soft dough adding the water slowly. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes then divide into 5 equal pieces. Cover the dough with damp tea towel and start working on each dough.

2) First roll the dough with the rolling pin about 20-25 cm in diameter. Then using oklava roll out the dough by pressing down on the centre of the dough with oklava and pushing it towards the outer edge then pulling it back toward you. Sprinkle the both size of the dough with plain flour during this process.

3) You should achieve 50-60 cm in diameter, round filo with this size of the dough which is 80 gr each ( about size an a large egg ). If you never tried making filo pastry using oklava before, it can be daunting and you will get better with practice. The pastry is usually as thin as a A4 paper and even thinner for baklava filo.

4) Once you rolled all 5 dough into filos, let them dry out for an hour or so then it is ready to use, whatever you want to make with them, boreks, filled filo parcels, spring rolls... etc.

LOW FAT FILO P TRIANGLES FILLED WITH MINCED MEAT (Nuska boregi)

These boreks are quick to make and low in fat so you can enjoy them without feeling guilty. Great for lunch with some salad or as a party nibble or  as a snack when hungry. Makes 18 triangles. VEGETARIAN OPTION : Fill the pastries with goats cheese and onion filling or spinach, potato and cheese filling.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 sheets of filo pastry ( 40 cm x 26 cm ), defrosted if frozen.
• 350- 400 g lean steak mince
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs or 1 tsp dried herb
• pinch of chilli flakes ( optional )
• Salt and ground black pepper
• milk for glazing
• 1 egg yolk for glazing
• nigella seeds

METHOD

1) First cook the mince in a noon stick frying pan with the onion until cooked and browned. I used no oil but add a tsp oil if you need to and drop of water if the mince gets too dry. 

2) Add the herbs and spices, season and set aside to cool. Pre- heat the oven 180 c, 160 Fan setting.

3) Place  all 6 filo pastry on a clean bench and cut into 3 equal parts lengthwise. So you will have 3 equal lots of strips of pastry of 40 cm x 9 cm. Now you have 18 strips of filo pastry.

4) Cover the strips with damp cloth to prevent them drying. Take one strip and place 1-2 tbsp of the mince mixture near one end of the strip and then fold the strip into a triangle shape as if you are folding a flag. Continue folding triangles down the entire strip of the pastry.

5) Moisten the end of the triangle with water and stick it to the end of the triangle. Repeat the same with rest of the filo strips. During the process if you break  some of the pasty, don't worry and roll it like a cigar and cook together with the rest of the boreks.

6) Grease a baking tray with spray oil or brush it lightly. Place all the triangles and brush them with milk first then brush  the boreks with egg yolk. Sprinkle with nigella seeds, sesame or poppy seeds.

7) Cook on preheated oven  on 180 c, 160 c fan setting for 15-20 minutes until crispy and lightly golden in colour.

8) Take the boreks out and serve them warm. Eat them cold the next day or heat in the pan to warm them up before serving.

RICE COOKED IN FILO PASTRY ( yufkali pilav )

Hi all, this is a rice dish with a difference. Rice with herbs and spices cooked with mince and wrapped in filo pastry, making this dish a centre piece for any occasion.

YOU NEED

• 1 onion, chopped
• 200 g minced meat
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 pepper, chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• pinch of cinnamon,
• ground black pepper
• parsley, dill, chopped.
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cup boiled water
• salt
• 1 large or 2 small filo pastry
• oil for brushing the pastry
• 1 egg yolk

METHOD

Fry the mince in oil with the onion until cooked and browned, add the tomatoes, peppers, cinnamon, black pepper, dill and parsley. Cook for 5 more minutes. Add the washed rice, stir, then add hot water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and cook the rice with the lid on for 10-15 minutes until it is cooked. Set aside.

Grease a tray or Pyrex dish, lay the filo pastry, transfer the rice over the filo pastry and cover the rice with second filo pastry tucking in the edges. Brush the pastry with egg yolk and cook in the pre heated oven on 175C for 20- 30 minutes until it is golden brown.