Tavuk Borek Turkish Chicken Pastries Recipes

TAVUK BOREK (TURKISH CHICKEN PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Steam the chicken breast over boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked, set aside to cool; then, once cooled, remove the skin and bones and finely chop the flesh.
• Heat the butter, add the flour and cook over a moderate heat for a few minutes, stirring. Gradually add the milk, bring to the boil, then immediately lower the heat and simmer over a low heat for 2 minutes and add the cinnamon and raisins and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then set aside to cool, covering the surface with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. When the sauce is cool, stir through the chicken.
• Cut the pastry lengthways into three strips. Cover with a tea towel. Take one strip of pastry, brush lightly with oil and place a little filling at one end. Fold over end and sides and roll up neatly. Place seam side down on a greased baking tray. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling. Brush tops with a little oil and bake in a moderate oven (180°C; 350°F) for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
• Serve warm.
• Note: To make the Borek as a main meal make double the quantity of filling, by following the instructions in steps 1 and 2. Leave the pastry whole, and use 3 lightly oiled sheets to line the base of a suitable lightly oiled pan. Once the filling mixture has cooled, place it over the pastry and cover it with 3 more lightly oiled sheets. Sprinkle it with water and lightly score the surface. Bake as in step 3 but for 35-40 minutes, or until golden.

TAVUK GOGSU (CARAMELIZED TURKISH CREAMY CHICKEN BREAST PUDDING)

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a saucepan filled with water and allow it to come to the boil. Reduce the temperature and let it simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, approximately 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the saucepan, cool, pat dry and shred into very, very fine shreds. Mix the rice flour or corn starch with some milk. Add the cream, sugar and the rest of the milk to a pot and boil.
• Once the mixture reaches boiling, add a few spoonfuls of it to the rice flour slurry, to temper it, and then slowly empty the slurry into the pot and add the extract. Whisk the mixture constantly. As soon as it starts to thicken, add the shredded chicken and continue stirring until it is thick and set.
• Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and pour the pudding inches Cook, over medium-low heat, without stirring for 8-10 minutes, until it is caramelized (singed) underneath.
• Allow the pudding to cool in the skillet and serve from there. To serve - cut into pieces and 'flip' a piece onto a plate - the singed part should be on top.
• Delicious served with either Whipped Cream or Ice Cream. (plain is good, too).

BOREKS (TURKISH PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Crumble the feta cheese, then mix feta with the chives (or dill), parsley, and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Skim off any foam that accumulates.
• Cut the phyllo pastry sheets into 3-inch strips. Take one strip and cover the rest with a clean, damp cloth.
• Brush the first phyllo strip with melted butter, and place a teaspoon of feta/herb mixture on the bottom right corner of the phyllo sheet, about 1/4-inch from the edge.
• Pick up the bottom right corner of the phyllo sheet and fold it up and over the feta/herb mixture so the corner reaches the top edge of the phyllo sheet and forms a triangle. Keep folding the pastry over itself, being careful that the filling remains intact, until you reach the end of the phyllo sheet and have a triangle shaped pastry.
• Repeat steps #5 and #6, using remaining phyllo sheets and feta/herb mixture.
• Lay pastries on a baking sheet, and brush with remaining melted butter. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.