Ingredients for Green Lentil Rose Börek
- 2 sheets yufka (phyllo dough)
- For the Filling:
- 1.5 water glasses (about 300 ml / 1 1/4 cups) green lentils
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 tea glass (about 50 ml / 3 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1/2 dessert spoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 dessert spoon Aleppo pepper flakes
- For the Sauce:
- 1 egg
- 1/2 water glass (about 100 ml / 3/8 cup) yogurt
- 1/2 tea glass (about 50 ml / 3 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1/2 water glass (about 100 ml / 3/8 cup) water
How to Make Green Lentil Rose Börek
This Turkish classic, known as yeşil mercimekli gül böreği, starts with the lentils. Pick over 1.5 water glasses of green lentils, rinse them, and place in a saucepan. Cover with water and boil just until slightly tender — you want them to hold their shape, not turn mushy.
Drain through a colander and set aside.
In a skillet, sauté 1 finely chopped onion in 1/2 tea glass of vegetable oil until softened and golden. Add the drained lentils and sauté together for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle in 1/2 dessert spoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/2 dessert spoon of Aleppo pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then remove from heat.
Spread the filling out on a plate and leave it to cool completely before using.
In a bowl, beat 1 egg with a hand whisk. Add 1/2 water glass of yogurt, 1/2 tea glass of vegetable oil, and 1/2 water glass of water. Whisk again until smooth and well combined.
Lay one sheet of yufka flat on your work surface. Brush the yogurt sauce generously all over it. Lay the second sheet directly on top and brush with sauce again. Cut the stacked sheets into 4 equal triangles.
Spoon some of the cooled lentil filling along the wide edge of each triangle. Fold in the sides, roll into a tight log, then coil into a rose shape. Repeat with all 4 triangles — this recipe uses both sheets of yufka in total.
Arrange the roses on a parchment-lined baking tray. Brush any remaining sauce over the tops.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) until the tops are deep golden and crisp. Serve hot.
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Tips
This recipe yields 4 börek from 2 sheets of yufka. Scale the dough and filling up proportionally if you need more.
Don't overcook the lentils — they should be just barely tender, not falling apart. A little bite gives the filling real texture. Discard the boiling water; leaving it in can turn your börek dark.
Make sure the lentil filling is fully cooled before you roll the yufka. Warm filling steams the dough from the inside and kills the crunch.
Brush the yogurt sauce all the way to the edges of each sheet. That sauce is what gives you a soft, pillowy interior and a properly browned, crisp crust.
If you can, let the shaped börek rest on the tray for 15–20 minutes before baking — the yufka absorbs the sauce more evenly and crisps up better in the oven.
What Goes Well With It?
Carrot Salad with Dressing or a Purslane Salad with Pickled Red Pepper alongside would be a fantastic pairing.
