Borek - Filo Dough Pastry - with

Ground Beef, Pine Nuts and Currants

Filo leaves (Yufka):

  • 4 large filo leaves - similar to the filo leaves used in making baklava, but considerably thicker - available from online Turkish grocery stores.

Sauce:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water

Filling:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 lb ground beef
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/2 cup currants
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Topping:

  • Black caraway seeds

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This recipe is identical to the borek recipe with feta cheese and dill weed. The only difference is the meat filling.

Mix the eggs, olive oil, milk and water in a bowl, set aside.

Finely chop the onions.

Sautee the onions in olive oil.

Add the ground beef and cook until brown. It is essential we mix the beef continuously to avoid large clumps.

Add the pine nuts and currants.

Add the salt and the black pepper

Brush the baking tray with olive oil liberally.

Spread one of the filo leaves on the tray. Since the filo leaf will be larger than the tray, it will hanging from the four sides of your tray.

Cut another leaf to the size of your baking tray, set aside. Divide the remainder of the leaf into small, palm size pieces, set aside.

Brush the fillo leaf with the egg mixture liberally (3-4 tablespoons).

Divide one of the filo leaves into small, palm size pieces. Make a new layer with these pieces, brush the top of the new layer with the egg mixture. It is perfectly fine to overlap the pieces.

Repeat the previous step until you run out of all the pieces brushing each layer with the egg mixture.

Spread the meat filling.

Divide another fillo leaf into small pieces and proceed with the assembly as above,forming layers with the filo pieces and brushing each layer with the egg mixture.

When you finish all the pieces, place the sheet that you cut before on top, cover the flaps of the first layer, brush with the egg mixture.

Sprinkle black caraway seeds on the borek.

Cut the borek into 3 inch by 3 inch squares.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes.