ISPANAKLI BÖREK (SPINACH-FILLED PASTRY)

Original name: Ispanakli Borek

Origin: Turkey, Greece, Croatia

Ingredients
3 sheets yufka (Turkish phyllo pastry)
4 spoons extra virgin olive oil
½ glass yogurt
½ glass water
2 eggs
1 small spoon of sesame seeds

Spinach Filling:
300 gr spinach cut in 1-2 cm pieces
250 gr crumbled feta
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 spoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small spoon isot (Kurdish peperoncino), salt if needed

Preparation
Prepare the filling by mixing all the filling ingredients and put aside. Now we can move on to the main ingredients. Keep one egg yolk (the yellow part) apart. In a bowl, scramble the rest of the eggs, olive oil, yogurt and water. This liquid mix will go between every two layers of the pastry, and will complement the filling.

Preheat the oven at 180 C (without ventilator). Grease the oven tray or use oven paper (carta di forno). Place the first sheet of the pastry in the tray and spread 3-4 spoons of the liquid mix on top until all parts get soaked. Fold the rest of the pastry on the soaked part and put half of the filling on top. Then work with the second sheet in the same way: first place it on top of the filling that you have just put, then soak it with the liquid mix, fold in the excessive parts and put the rest of the filling. Finally on the top place the last sheet in the same way. Now on the surface brush the egg yolk that you have kept apart and sprinkle the sesame seeds. Before putting it into oven, cut it in squares. Bake until golden brown, approximately for 25 – 30 minutes.