Sigara Borek Recipe

Prepare spinach

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds to 1 minute until wilted. Drain immediately in a colander and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Squeeze out as much water as possible using your hands or press with the back of a spoon; then finely chop and set aside.

Sauté onion

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine filling

In a large bowl, crumble the feta cheese with a fork. Add the chopped, drained spinach, sautéed onion, chopped dill and parsley, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if it seems dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil; if too wet, squeeze more liquid from the spinach.

Prepare pastry sheets

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the phyllo and cover the sheets with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.

Cut phyllo into strips

Place one phyllo sheet on a work surface. Brush lightly with a mixture of half the melted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Fold the sheet in half lengthwise (to make a long narrower rectangle) and cut into 4 equal strips lengthwise (you will have about 32 strips if using 8 sheets). Keep the remaining phyllo covered.

Fill and roll (sigara style)

Place about 1 tablespoon of the spinach-feta filling near one end of a phyllo strip. Fold the short edge over the filling once to form a small pocket, then fold in the sides and roll tightly toward the far end, forming a cigar/triangle shape (traditional sigara börek uses a triangular fold — you can also roll like a cigar). Ensure the seam is on the underside. Repeat with remaining strips and filling.

Brush and seed

Place the filled cigars on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each evenly with the remaining melted butter (or beaten egg for a glossier finish) and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds if using.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Rotate the tray halfway through baking for even color. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet.

Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature as an appetizer or snack. They pair well with plain yogurt or a simple tomato salad.