Phyllo victory

Phyllo has been one of those things I've had zero success with. I think the curse is over! This attempt did not end in disaster. whohoo!!!

This weekend I made Turkish Sigara Boregi. They are sort of like a Mediterranean egg roll, only with Phyllo. I originally saw the recipe here for a chicken version. The step by step photos were so helpful. I don't think I could have made them successfully without the visual aid. This was a very fussy prep, but it was fun painting on the egg wash.
Mrblocko thought they would have been better with tatziki sauce, but improvised and used ranch dressing. Blockette was very reluctant to try but once she had ranch dressing and found out we were having ice cream for dessert she ate her dinner gladly.

If I ever get the urge to make this again, (ie I have plenty of time and feel like making a fussy dinner)I'll try the chicken version. I think if you used slightly more than 1/4 cup filling, a whole box of Phyllo would make both the chicken and the beef versions, esp if you only use one sheet for each "cigar". The recipe said to use one sheet but I found that it was way too fragile so I used 2. The ones I started off with 1 sheet I wrapped in another so the meat wouldn't fall out of the holes that were created when I rolled them up. If you make this, preserve your sanity and use 2 sheets.


Sigara Boregi With Minced Meat from Eating out Loud
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons pine nuts
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

1 egg
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons milk
1 lb phyllo sheets (about 18)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 min til onion begins to soften, then add minced garlic and pine nuts. Saute for an additional 1-2 min til pine nuts begin to turn golden. Add ground beef to the skillet and cook for 3-4 min, then add cinnamon, oregano and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool.

In  small bowl, whisk egg, olive oil and milk. Will be slightly thick and will be used to moisten  phyllo dough.

Take a sheet of phyllo dough and lay it out on a flat surface with longest side facing you. Keep  remaining phyllo covered with a moist towel until ready to use. Lightly brush left half of phyllo with the egg mix. Gently lift right side of phyllo and fold it over left side. The phyllo dough will now be half the size of when you started and you will now have the shortest side facing you.

Brush the top of the phyllo with the egg mixture. Take 1/4 c  beef mixture (make sure it has cooled) and place it 2" from the nearest edge of the phyllo and leave 2"  on either side of the meat. The meat mix is placed nearest to you as you will begin rolling it away from you. Don’t worry if some of the phyllo sheets have small tears in them.

Fold in each of the long sides by 2". Beginning at the edge closest to you, fold the narrow end over the meat mixture. Continue rolling the dough away from you as you form a cigarette shaped roll. When you are nearing the end, brush the final 2" with the egg mix. Fold the roll over this final bit of dough to seal it. Place seam side down on a baking sheet.

Before baking, brush the tops and sides of each roll with more of the egg mix. Sprinkle tops with sesame seeds. Bake at 350F for 20-25 min til golden brown.