Up and Down Pastry

Sample Dishes from Turkish Cuisine

Up and Down Pastry (Alt-Üst Böreği)

Preparation

Sift flour in a large bowl, reserving 1/3 cup. Add salt and soda; mix. Make a hole in center of flour. Sprinkle with oil. Add egg, vinegar, yogurt and water gradually blending throughly. Knead for 7-8 minutes until smooth to make a medium soft dough. Divide into 2 slightly unequal portions. Shape each into a roll. Cut each roll into 8 portions. Shape into balls. Set aside. Saute ground meat and fınely chopped onions in a covered saucepan for 15 minutes or until meat is crumbly; drain. Season with salt and pepper; stir. Set aside. Roll each of fırst 8 balls into 25 cm (10 inch) circle sprinkling with flour. Place each pastry on top of another 10 minutes. Repeat some with remaining balls, but roll each into 20 cm (8 inch) circle. Chill for 10 minutes. Stretch fırst pack of pastries into a circle, 33 cm (13 1/2 inch) in diameter, by fıngers. Spread in a greased round baking pan 30 cm (12 inch) in diameter, covering edges of pan with, pastry. Spread fılling over. Stretch other pack of pastries into 30 cm (12 inch) circle. Place over filling. Seal edges of 2 pastry layers. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve hot.

Servings: 6

Nutritional Value
(in approximately one serving)

Regional Characteristics:

This recipe is from Bolu province. It is generally served for lunch with hosaf or cacık. It is called "Tepsi Böreği" meaning "Pan Börek" in Afyon province. If round baking pan is not available, an oblong baking pan can be used. ln this case balls should be rolled into oblongs. The name comes probably from an old practice of browning the börek over low heat, covered, turning the baking pan around itself, over the flame until all bottom is browned. Then the baking pan is turned up side down on a little larger round baking pan. The other side is browned in the same manner.