Melek Erdal’s recipes for börek cake and yoghurt soup

6 hours ago 1

I’ve been on a journey to make the easiest börek without compromising on deliciousness, and I think I’ve peaked. Shredding the filo and mixing it with the filling gives a cake-like effect and a great rise, and creates the magic of multiple layers without really having to do any work. Yoghurt is a staple in Kurdish and Turkish meals; the acidity cuts through dishes and works so well in soups, which is why one of the most classic soups in our regions is yayla çorbası, simply made with yoghurt and cracked white rice and topped with a mint butter. There are many different regional iterations but this is mine, with chickpeas and spinach, and topped with bulgur köfte in mint butter.

Yoghurt soup with sizzling bulgur dumplings (pictured top)

You only need two ingredients to make yoghurt at home: milk and a little of your existing yoghurt as your starter, which is why you always start making a new batch of yoghurt before you run out. The process is not exact but honed over time with experience and practice. Bring your milk to a slow, rolling simmer for about 20 minutes, never allowing it to come to a boil. Take off the heat and allow it to cool slightly (so your little finger can withstand the heat for five seconds). At this point, stir in a small amount of yoghurt before covering with many layers of cloth to ensure it cools very slowly overnight. The longer you leave the yoghurt to set before placing it in the fridge, the firmer and more sour your yoghurt will be.

I’m excited to share these bulgur dumplings – they are easy to make, forgiving and hardy. They can be boiled and tossed in sauces and eaten like gnocchi, or added to soups and stews. You can also freeze them, ready to boil straight from frozen.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 4-6

400g strained yoghurt
45g plain flour
1 egg
2 tbsp flaky sea salt
400g tin chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
1 bunch long-stem or large-leaf spinach, or Swiss chard, finely chopped, stems and all

For the dumplings
150g fine bulgur
2 tsp salt
1 tsp aleppo chilli, or pul biber
50g flour
2 tsp tomato paste, or salça
A little olive oil

For the mint butter
50g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried mint

Put the bulgur, salt and chilli in a large bowl, then pour over enough just-boiled water to cover the bulgur by half a centimetre. Give it a good mix, then cover and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. Once the water is fully absorbed, add the flour and tomato paste, and mix thoroughly. Slowly add 100ml water in three batches, kneading the mix with your hands as you go, then knead for at least 15 minutes – the mixture will slowly start turning into a dough. Once the dough starts easily coming away from the bowl and forms a smooth ball, it’s ready.

Roll the dough into a 2cm-thick sausage, then cut it into 1cm-wide pieces, and roll between your palms until smooth. Cook the dough balls in a pan of boiling water for seven minutes, or until they float to the surface, then drain and toss in a drizzle of olive oil so they don’t stick to each other. Set aside in a bowl and cover.

To make the soup, put the yoghurt, flour, egg and salt in a large pot (preferably one with a heavy base) then whisk until smooth. Slowly add a litre of cold water bit by bit, whisking constantly until it’s all fully incorporated. Set the pot over a medium heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes to a simmer – this will take about 10 minutes, but keep stirring, otherwise the soup mixture might split.

Stir in the chickpeas and garlic, then add 250ml just-boiled water and stir again until the mix comes back to a simmer. Keep on a low simmer for 20 minutes, then stir through the chopped spinach or chard. Keep the soup warm on the lowest heat while you make the mint butter.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the olive oil and dried mint. Once bubbling, toss the dumplings into the hot fat, give them a good stir to coat, then tip the lot into the soup. Serve immediately.

Shredded filo börek

Experiment with the filling by using whatever you have in the fridge – mix up the cheese by adding grated halloumi to the feta, or top with grated cheddar or mozzarella. If you leave out the spring onion, serve with a drizzle of honey on top. This is a forgiving recipe that, much like a frittata, will absorb just about whatever you decide to throw in.

Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr
Rest 1 hr
Serves 4-6

270g filo pastry
1 courgette
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
100g spinach, cut into 2cm-wide slices
200g feta
4 eggs
200ml milk
80ml olive oil
1 tbsp nigella seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp pul biber

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Take the filo out of the packet; keep it in a roll (it usually comes in one) and cut into 1cm-wide shreds. Separate the shreds like noodles on to a tray and leave to dry while you make the filling.

Grate the courgette, then strain off the excess liquid by squeezing it between your hands . Put the courgette in a bowl, add the spring onions and spinach, crumble in the feta, then mix thoroughly.

Beat the eggs in another bowl, then add the milk and oil, and mix thoroughly. Combine the courgette and egg mixtures, then start stirring the filling into the filo a handful at a time, making sure each addition has been absorbed before stirring in the next.

Tip the filo mix into a 23cm round nonstick ovenproof dish (you could also use a cake tin or any oven dish really, so long as it’s roughly the same size and the mix is roughly 5cm thick). Sprinkle the sesame and nigella seeds and pul biber over the top, then bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Remove, then leave to cool and rest for at least an hour before slicing and serving.