Sigara Boregi Turkish Cheese Rolls The Mediterranean Dish

What are sigara boregi?

Sigara boregi (pronounced see-GAR’-ah BUHR’-ay-ee) or sigara borek, are a delicious Turkish appetizer or snack made with flaky dough like phyllo and stuffed with a bold and herby cheese filling. They’re similar to the feta cheese triangles known as Tiropitakia that you find in Greece, but they’re rolled like a cigar. In fact, the word “sigara” means cigarette, and that’s where these thin, cigarette-shaped pastries get their name. These crispy cheese rolls are a type of borek, which is a popular Turkish food genre that refers to a family of savory pastries made with thin dough called yufka and can be stuffed with any number of fillings from cheese to potato and even meat (similar to my Egyptian phyllo meat pie). This sigara boregi recipe is easy to prepare ahead, it freezes well, and you don’t have to thaw it before cooking! It’s the perfect finger food for a party, and I love serving it as an appetizer next to things like Piyaz salad or to elevate a mezze party platter.

What pastry dough to use?

Traditionally, savory borek pastries such as sigara boregi are made with Yufka pastry dough. Yufka is a bit thicker than phyllo dough, and typically sold in some Turkish or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Don’t fret, you can make sigara boregi with phyllo dough or even Chinese spring roll pastry sheets. Both come frozen and should be thawed in the fridge ahead of time.

Phyllo dough. When I make Sigara Boregi, I usually use phyllo dough which gives me crispy, flaky results. Plus, phyllo (or fillo) is readily available in most grocery stores in the frozen food section. It’s usually next to things like frozen pie crust and puff pastry. This sigara boregi recipe only takes three sheets of phyllo, so the next time you make baklava, you can save three sheets of dough and make this savory appetizer as well! Spring roll pastry or wrappers. For some, spring roll wrappers are more convenient to use because they often come in small square-shaped sheets. You can find them in some grocery stores in the freezer, refrigerator sections or in Asian grocery stores. Be sure to use the kind made of wheat and not rice for this recipe. You’ll need to use 12 squares of spring roll pastry in this recipe.

Cheese filling for sigara boregi

You’ll find different cheese filling options for these borek cheese rolls, mine is a simple one made with feta cheese, grated parmesan, and herbs including parsley, fresh thyme, and scallions (both white and green parts for big flavor). Shredded mozzarella is also a good option. To mix the cheese filling, you’ll need a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil (our Arbequina olive oil is good for a simple recipe like this one). No salt needed, since the feta and parmesan are salty enough, but I love to bring flavor and a little bit of heat with a dash of red Aleppo pepper flakes.

How to make sigara boregi (Step-by-step)

These Turkish borek rolls with feta filling are easy to make, and you can fry or bake them (I give you both options here). I’m sharing photos so you can see what they look like, but the print-friendly recipe is just below.

Make the filling: In a medium bowl, combine the cheeses, scallions, parsley, and thyme. Add the pepper flakes and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Prepare the cheese rolls. Lay the phyllo sheets flat on a cutting board, using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo sheets into 4 equal strips. Work with 1 strip of phyllo at a time, spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of the feta in a straight line along the bottom edge that is closest to you (leave a little room on either side for the filling to expand). Roll tightly about 4 or 5 times away from you, tucking the sides in, so that the filling is now encased into a roll.

Repeat and brush with oil: Repeat until the phyllo strips and filling are all used up. Brush the outside of the phyllo cheese rolls with extra virgin olive oil.

To bake: Assemble the rolls on a large sheet pan in a single layer and bake on the center rack of the heated oven for about 10 minutes or so, watching the rolls and turning them over halfway through cooking, until they are crispy and golden brown on all sides.

Sigara Boregi: An Easy Make-Ahead Appetizer

I often prepare these rolls ahead of time and cook them just before company arrives.

Stuff and roll the sigara boregi a few hours in advance Arrange them (uncooked) on a sheet pan in one single layer Cover with plastic wrap Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Can You Freeze Uncooked Borek?

Yes! One of the best things about this Turkish borek recipe is that you can prepare them ahead and freeze for later.

Arrange the sigara borek on a large sheet pan in one single layer. Cover and freeze for about 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and return them to the freezer. They will keep for 1 to 2 months in the freezer. I wouldn’t let them go much longer than that to avoid freezer burn. No need to thaw them! Just fry or bake the sigara boregi from frozen. If you are frying them, use a splatter guard though for safety.

More Phyllo Recipes

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