Turkish Spinach and Feta Börek

Ingredients

• 8 sheets yufka pastry (or phyllo dough), thawed if frozen
• 500g fresh spinach, washed
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 200g feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper flakes)
• 2 large eggs
• 100ml milk
• 100ml plain yogurt
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Before you cook

• Roughly chop the washed spinach.
• Finely dice the onion.
• Crumble the feta cheese into a bowl.
• Whisk together the eggs, milk, yogurt and vegetable oil in a bowl to make the brushing mixture.
• Lay the yufka sheets flat on the counter and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out.

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the chopped spinach in batches and cook until fully wilted, about 5 minutes.
4. Season the spinach mixture with the salt, black pepper and pul biber.
5. Tip the mixture into a colander and press with a spoon to drain off excess liquid, then let it cool for 10 minutes.
6. Stir the crumbled feta into the cooled spinach mixture.
7. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
8. Brush a large baking tray with a little of the egg mixture.
9. Lay one sheet of yufka on the tray and brush it generously with the egg mixture.
10. Layer a second sheet on top and brush that with the egg mixture as well.
11. Spoon a strip of the spinach and feta filling along one long edge of the stacked sheets.
12. Roll the pastry around the filling into a long log, tucking in the ends as you go.
13. Coil the log into a spiral on the tray.
14. Repeat the layering, filling and rolling with the remaining yufka sheets and filling, adding each new coil next to the last.
15. Brush the top and exposed edges of the assembled börek generously with the remaining egg mixture.
16. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
17. Bake for 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown and crisp.
18. Let the börek rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.