Monday

Cheese turnovers

Total time: 25 min
Elaboration time: 20 min
Cooking time: 5 min
Recommended time of the year: All year round

Finely chop or grate the cheese and mix with the beaten egg, parsley and dill. If the cheese doesn’t have salt, add a pinch.

Fold a sheet of phyllo dough over, rub lightly with olive oil, place a dollop of filling in the centre towards the top, roll up a little, fold the ends in (to enclose the filling) and continue rolling until finished.

Moisten the edge with a little water and press gently to close. It should be shaped like a cigar. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets.

Fry the rolls on all sides in a skillet with hot olive oil. Drain them on absorbent paper towels and serve.

Recipe from the book Cocina Mediterránea en casa. Círculo de Lectores. 2010. Authors: Lourdes March and Lourdes Alcañiz.

Turkish cuisine is a symbol of refinement and exoticism. But that does not interfere with realizing their reminiscences and traditional aspects from long ago. As heir to the history of the Mediterranean and the rich contribution that confers a privileged geographic location at the gates to the East, Turkish cuisine is the mother of mixed dishes such as bold Sigara Böregi. One of the most typical prepared food items of the food culture as well as other nearby areas such as the Balkans. The Sigara Böregi, delicate roll filled with cheese, meat or vegetables, in this case their reason for being in the original shape like the classic cigar. Hence the name of this preparation that can change according to the technical changes like shape, cooking methods and ingredients or changes relating to their origin or regional tastes. You can fry them, bake them, cook them on the grill or boil them. It is traditionally said that a woman is not ready to get married if she hasn’t mastered the art of Borek. On the other hand, retrospective also offers interesting historical proposals like a Venezuelan roll named “tequeño”. It has a laudable resemblance to today’s proposal. Some say this method is derived from Native American culinary influences introduced by the Ottoman Turks who were convicted prisoners in the New World after the famous battle of Lepanto in 1571.