Turkish Pastrami Rolls Recipe

Gather and prepare filling ingredients: finely chop pastrami, finely chop parsley, crumble the feta, shred the mozzarella, finely dice the onion, and mince the garlic.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the chopped pastrami and stir for 2–3 minutes to warm and slightly brown the edges. This step mellows the pastrami and releases flavor.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the warm pastrami-onion mixture to a bowl to cool for 5 minutes so the cheese won’t melt prematurely.

Add the crumbled feta, shredded mozzarella, chopped parsley, lemon zest, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pastrami mixture. Stir gently to combine into an even, slightly moist filling. Taste and adjust seasoning; pastrami can be salty so add no additional salt unless needed.

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (conventional) and position a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unroll filo pastry and keep sheets covered with a lightly damp towel to prevent drying. Brush a large work surface or cutting board lightly with melted butter.

Working with one filo sheet at a time, place a sheet on the work surface. Brush the entire surface lightly with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top and brush again. For each roll use a stack of two sheets to ensure sturdiness (you will have enough for 8 rolls using 8 sheets stacked as pairs).

Cut each double-sheet stack into 3 equal strips lengthwise (for 24 small rolls) or into 2 strips for larger rolls (for 16 rolls). Adjust width to desired finished roll size—about 6–7 cm (2½–3 inches) wide for appetizer portions.

Spoon about 1½–2 tablespoons (for smaller strips) of the cooled filling near one short end of each strip, leaving a 1 cm border on each side. Shape the filling into a thin log along the edge.

Fold the lower short edge over the filling, then fold the two sides inwards once to enclose, and continue rolling tightly toward the other end to form a neat cigar-shaped roll. Brush the final edge with a little melted butter to seal. Repeat with remaining strips and filling.

Place assembled rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1–2 cm apart. Brush each roll generously with melted butter (or use an egg wash if you prefer a stronger sheen and color).

If using, lightly sprinkle sesame seeds or nigella seeds on top of the brushed rolls so they adhere.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–16 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through, until pastry is crisp and deep golden brown. Baking time varies with roll size—smaller rolls will be done closer to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 3–4 minutes on the tray, then transfer to a wire rack for 2–3 minutes so bottoms don’t steam and go soggy.

Serve warm with lemon wedges and yogurt or yogurt-garlic dip on the side. These are best eaten the same day while filo remains crisp.