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Spinach And Mushroom Börek

Saffron Milk Cap Mushroom & Spinach Börek Recipe

This post is a continuation of the celebration of the lactarius deliciosus, the saffron milk cap mushroom, the çintar. This time, we’re going to be doing a traditional Turkish börek recipe and teaming this tasty mushroom up with spinach.

Spinach and mushroom is always a dream combination.

Saffron Milk Cap Mushrooms Çintar Kanlıca
Saffron Milk Cap Mushrooms for sale on the market

Since we’ve been writing this blog, we’ve become much more aware of Southwest Turkish seasonal food and so we’ve realised that this year, the autumn and winter Fethiye weather hasn’t been ideal for mushroom growth.

The çıntar mushroom appeared at the beginning of December (as it should) and you might remember we mixed them with spinach to produce this wonderfully oozy mushroom risotto.

We actually made it again the other night for tea and guess what?

If you make too much – like we did – it’s really nice eaten cold the day after. Or, even better, you can make Italy’s famous rice balls, arancini.

Anyway, after the initial batch of çıntar mushrooms appeared, the weather returned to unseasonal warmer temperatures and and the rain stayed away.

The çıntar consequently disappeared from Fethiye market.

We thought that was it for the year, until we took our friends back to Dalaman Airport on a dull, rainy January 2nd.

As we passed through the pine forests, we noticed cars parked along the roadside in random positions and people foraging around the pine trees.

Then, further along the way, people were dangling bags, packed with çıntar mushrooms, at the passing vehicles. They’re growing again!

A visit to Fethiye market on Tuesday confirmed the fact.

Perhaps understandably, the mushrooms are more expensive than they were last season (there are nowhere near as many) but they’re still always worth a purchase as a treat.

We’d only made the spinach and mushroom risotto this winter. We wanted one more little celebration of this meaty morsel so I decided to do a börek recipe using another of our favourite ingredients; yufka.

I made a spinach and çintar mushroom börek. It’s a winner, so here’s the recipe.

Spinach & Mushroom Börek Recipe

We’re using the seasonal pine mushrooms for this but you can use any mushrooms you like.

Spinach And Mushroom Börek Recipe
Spinach and mushrooms are perfect partners
  • Finely chop one onion and a handful of chillies and fry them lightly.
  • Chop around 200 grams of çintar mushrooms into small chunks and once your onions are sweating, add the mushrooms to the pan. (You can use any type of ‘meaty’ mushroom.)
  • At this point, I added some red chilli powder to the mixture, partly for colour and partly for a different type of extra heat. Çintar mushrooms can stand extra heat and spinach and we think chillies are a perfect combination.
  • Once everything is fried to your liking, add about 250 grams of chopped spinach and stir it in until it has wilted.
  • Allow the mixture to cool and add some strong, crumbled cheese. We used tulum – the hard cheese often served with walnuts and lavaş bread. Parmesan would be a good alternative.
Spinach And Mushroom Börek
Make loose parcels

Time to add the mixture to the yufka. No fancy shapes this time, unlike the (self-proclaimed) masterpiece that was the cheese and spinach kol börek. This time, we’re having the simple paçanga shape.

I used three sheets of yufka and cut each one in half.

  • Lay a half slice of yufka – curved edge away from you – on a flat surface and brush with a mixture of raw egg and olive oil. (Photo 1 above)
  • Use a wooden spoon and take 2 spoonfuls of mixture from the frying pan and arrange it along the flat edge of the yufka, leaving a couple of inches space at the bottom and at each edge. (Photo 2 above)
  • Fold the bottom, flat edge over the mixture and then fold the sides over. (Photo 3 above)
  • Roll the yufka to make a long, sausage-roll shape. Think tortilla wrap. Your mixture will fill the 6 halves of yufka.
  • Brush the wraps with your egg mixture and place on a baking tray. (Photo 4 above)
Spinach And Mushroom Börek
Time to eat
  • Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius and bake the spinach, cheese and mushroom börek for about 15 – 20 minutes.
  • Once it’s golden, let it cool a little and eat it all up. Perfect party food because it’s just as good once it’s gone cold, too.

January 6, 2011 by Turkey's For Life 27 Comments

Filed Under: Börek Tagged With: Mushrooms, Spinach, Vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Belinda @zomppa

    January 6, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    Looks so amazing – especially that lovely flaky gorgeousness.

    Reply
  2. Ayngelina

    January 6, 2011 at 10:33 pm

    Mushrooms and spinach are my two favourite vegetables – amazing!

    Reply
  3. Turkey's For Life

    January 6, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    @ Belinda: We all love a bit of flaky gorgeousness every now and then! 🙂

    @ Ayngelina: I used to hate both spinach and mushrooms but love them now; especially spinach.

    Reply
  4. struxtravel.com

    January 7, 2011 at 1:13 am

    Wow–this all looks so delicious! I just might have to try your recipe 🙂

    Reply
  5. Jeremy B

    January 7, 2011 at 2:17 am

    I love mushrooms but not that a big fan of spinach! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Turkey's For Life

    January 7, 2011 at 6:52 am

    @ struxtravel: It is delicious. That might be it now though for another season. 🙁

    @ Jeremy: It’s an acquired taste I think! Loads of meals in Turkey have spinach so we’ve had to get used to it. 🙂

    Reply
  7. tasteofbeirut

    January 7, 2011 at 7:32 am

    These mushrooms would definitely inspire me! Love the quick wrapping with the yufka leaves. Must be delicious and light tasting, perfect with a glass of white wine I would think.

    Reply
  8. Turkey's For Life

    January 7, 2011 at 8:07 am

    Most things are delicious with a glass of white wine. 🙂 They are really light actually. Love cooking with çintar mushrooms just becuase they are so seasonal.

    Reply
  9. eatlaughloveanon

    January 7, 2011 at 8:21 am

    That look AMAZING! I’m so impressed.
    In fact, the only way I could be more impressed with that dish is if you revealed you made in a tv cooking show style, explaining each step to your cat in a breezy manner, with a few winks and in-jokes thrown in.

    Reply
  10. inka

    January 7, 2011 at 9:00 am

    If I read one more of your delicious recipies I’m in serious danger of shedding my ‘no cooking, no house work, no ironing, no gardening’diva image and take to the pots and pans. Just don’t give my secret away if I do.

    Reply
  11. Turkey's For Life

    January 7, 2011 at 9:08 am

    @ eatlaughloveanon: Ha ha, thanks. Can’t see us behind a tv camera somehow. Much prefer hiding behind photos and writing. 🙂

    @ inka: Oh dear! You must let us know if you tkae to wearing an apron and getting out the baking utensils! Don’t worry, we won’t tell. You have an image to protect. 🙂

    Reply
  12. eatlaughloveanon

    January 7, 2011 at 10:51 am

    Someone sent me a link to a youtube clip once of an old English guy doing a homemade cooking segment in his caravan.
    He had such a professional patter as he slurped on a glass of wine and demonstrated how to heat up a microwave meal. It was incredibly funny.

    Reply
  13. Adam

    January 7, 2011 at 4:12 pm

    Now that’s what I’m talking about. This looks delish!! I have no idea if these types of mushrooms are available in the States, but I am definitely interested in making at least a version of this. Can’t wait to try it, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Turkey's For Life

    January 7, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    @ eatlovelaughanon: Was it not Keith Floyd? 🙂 We can do the cooking with the glass of wine, no problem. It’s the camera bit that scares us! 🙂

    @ Adam: Well, let us know how you get on! Not good diet food. 🙂

    Reply
  15. Anil

    January 7, 2011 at 7:33 pm

    If there’s ever an opening for official taste-tester I’d like to submit my resume please. Skills include eating a lot and bacon expertise 🙂

    Reply
  16. Turkey's For Life

    January 7, 2011 at 8:43 pm

    @ Anil: Hmmm, would have to take a closer look at your resume. We suspect you may be using a clever, behind-the-scenes assistant who has a specialist knowledge of bacon! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Cathy Sweeney

    January 7, 2011 at 10:45 pm

    So delicious looking! I especially like the “strong, crumbled cheese” part of the recipe. Those mushroom photos are like works of art.

    Reply
  18. Christy @ Ordinary Traveler

    January 8, 2011 at 12:22 am

    I bet Scott would love this dish. I’m not a big mushroom fan, but maybe I will make it for him. 😉

    Reply
  19. Turkey's For Life

    January 8, 2011 at 8:46 am

    @ Cathy: I actually took those mushroom photos in a bar, waiting for Barry to finish using the internet. I was bored, so got the shopping out and photographed it! 🙂

    @ Christy: I’m not a big mushroom person either but these are really good because they don’t taste like mushrooms.

    Reply
  20. Jozef Maxted

    January 8, 2011 at 12:59 pm

    Looks lovely! I always think mushrooms are a strange food but they do taste goood!

    Reply
  21. Turkey's For Life

    January 8, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    Thanks Jozef. Yes, they are a strange thing aren’t they? Some of them, I just refuse to eat – even the edible ones! 🙂

    Reply
  22. Jim

    January 9, 2011 at 10:18 am

    I’ll eat mushrooms any time, anywhere,…especially those ones that give you weird dreams.

    Reply
  23. Turkey's For Life

    January 9, 2011 at 11:15 am

    And which mushrooms would those be Jim? 🙂
    I’m not brave with mushrooms really. There’s another type here that just look awful and I can’t bring myself to try them.

    Reply
  24. Corinne @ Degustinations

    January 10, 2011 at 2:05 am

    Those mushrooms look divine. I’d be tempted to sauté in a little butter and garlic and enjoy with a glass of vine.

    I’m not a huge fan of filo pastry but I’d certainly tuck into these!

    Reply
  25. Amy

    January 10, 2011 at 6:53 am

    I’ve read a few food posts today but this one makes my mouth water. What could be better than spinach, mushrooms and pastry. Yum!

    Reply
  26. Turkey's For Life

    January 10, 2011 at 7:04 am

    @ Corinne: Mushrooms with garlic – perfect every time, especially if you;re drinking a glass of wine too! 🙂

    @ Amy: They were very nice, if I do say so myself! 🙂

    Reply
  27. Caz Makepeace

    January 16, 2011 at 3:22 am

    Delcious. Will have to try this one

    Reply

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