In a pan, sauté 1 finely diced onion in half a tea glass (about 50 ml / 3 tbsp) of vegetable oil. Add 10 thinly sliced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, then remove from heat. Grate 100 g of kaşar cheese over the mixture and combine.

Cut 1 sheet of yufka into four equal pieces. Place some of the mushroom filling along the edge of each piece, fold in the sides, and roll into large cigar-shaped sigara böreği (cigar-shaped fried pastry rolls). Repeat with the second sheet of yufka. Arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush with 1 egg yolk, sprinkle with nigella seeds, and bake in a 200°C (390°F) oven until golden brown.

About This Recipe

Mushrooms are among the first living organisms to move from water to land, approximately 550 million years ago. Whether they are plants or animals is still debated today. Since they cannot perform photosynthesis, they are not classified as plants. Sitting between the animal and plant kingdoms, they form their own domain known as fungi. Science currently recognizes up to 1,000,000 species of mushrooms. Of these, 850,000 species are smaller than 2 mm, while the remaining 150,000 are larger than 2 mm. Although most thrive in tropical regions, around 10,000 species are found in our country — making us a truly mushroom-rich nation. That said, only about 40 of those species are edible. Of those 40, 25 are exported, and only 3 to 5 varieties end up on supermarket shelves.

Mushrooms are remarkably high in protein, and research has shown that their protein is healthier than animal-based protein. Mushrooms contain as much protein as milk, along with a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Because they contain almost no sugar or fat, they are widely consumed by those aiming for a healthy diet. Certain mushroom varieties are also used in the treatment of anemia.

One of the healthiest ways to store mushrooms is to dehydrate fresh mushrooms to remove their moisture, then soak them in hot water before adding them to dishes when needed. Another option is to store them in the freezer. To do this safely, the mushrooms must be thoroughly cleaned beforehand.

Mushrooms have become increasingly popular in our kitchens over the last century. Remember the first time you heard of Stuffed Mushrooms (Mantar Dolması) — how surprised you were, and how glad you were after tasting them :) Today, we have another recipe that will make you say "so glad I tried it." Our Mushroom Börek recipe is a real game-changer. Enjoy!