Sigara Böreği with White Cheese and Parsley

Thin pastry, soft cheese

Sigara böreği are narrow, rolled börek: thin sheets of pastry enclose a simple filling and are fried until crisp. This version uses yufka, large, thin Turkish pastry sheets often sold for making börek. The filling is made with white cheese and parsley. Turkish beyaz peynir is firm and salty; feta is a useful alternative, though it can be a little more crumbly and stronger in flavor. Taste the cheese before adding extra salt: usually, it isn’t needed.

The shape is not just distinctive; it also helps with frying. Cut round sheets into wedges, place the filling near the wide end and roll them up tightly. Fold the sides in as you roll so the cheese is less likely to spill out. A little flour paste seals the end. Work with one sheet at a time and cover the rest with a clean, slightly damp cloth; yufka dries out quickly in the air and can then tear.

Fry the rolls in a shallow layer of hot oil so the pastry starts to brown and crisp right away. If the oil is too cool, the rolls absorb more fat; if it’s too hot, the outside browns before the pastry gets properly crisp. A thermometer makes it easier to keep the oil around 170–175 °C. Fry in small batches and don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature. Let the börek drain briefly on paper towels after frying.

Serve them straight away, while the pastry is still crisp and the cheese inside is soft. Lemon is a fresh contrast to the salty filling, but squeeze the juice over the rolls at the table so the crust stays crisp. They work as a starter alongside other small dishes, or served with a simple salad. Parsley gives the cheese a fresh, green flavor; use flat-leaf parsley and chop it finely so the rolls fill evenly.

If you don’t have yufka, you can use filo pastry. It’s usually thinner and more delicate, so layer two sheets if needed and handle it carefully; the texture will be a little different. Uncooked rolls can be covered and kept in the fridge briefly, but it’s best to fry them straight away. Leftover cooked rolls can be refrigerated and reheated in an oven until piping hot all the way through; the crust will usually be less crisp than when they’re fresh from the pan.