Baklava, Sweet & Savory

Many people are familiar with Baklava, the thin sheets of filo dough layered with nuts and butter. But, are you familiar with Baklava’s Savory Sister, Börek?

If we go all the way back, way waaaay back to when the Turkic people were nomadic hundreds of years ago, we find early writings about thin bread layered with nuts and dried fruit.

Here is when the road diverges into 2 directions, one leading to what we know as baklava and the other embracing the dough-y savoriness with meats and cheeses.

Other than the fillings, what makes these 2 filo filled delights different?

The big difference is the thickness of the dough. If you look carefully at a box of filo dough and a box of borek dough, you will notice a number in one of the corners. For baklava dough, the thinness of the dough is a #4. Borek dough is just about twice as thick with a #9 thickness.

Next, where baklava uses butter between the layers, borek uses a combination of eggs and milk. Brushing an egg & milk mixture on each sheet of borek dough will soften the dough and create a more substantial foundation for the savory fillings.

Both are made into different shapes and sizes, but one of my favorite is fried Sigara (cigarette-shaped) Börek. A small bit of feta or meat are rolled into about a 4 inch long bundle and fried. I think I could munch and crunch on those all day long!

Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be doing some livestream cooking classes and the Borek and Baklava will be one not to be missed!! Once the video is ready, I will, for sure, add the How-to’s at the bottom of this blog!