This flaky, crispy spiral work of art is called Lamb & Roasted Pine Nut Borek. Its savory, sweet, salty flavors are out of this world! This Borek has buttered layers of phyllo dough and is filled with ground lamb, fresh herbs, and authentic Mediterranian-flavored spices with sweet tangy pomegranate molasses which tops the notch! Although it looks challenging to make, I promise it’s super easy to create! Once you make this dish, your family and guests will thank you!
This dish is usually made with thin delicate flakey sheets of phyllo dough. It is buttered evenly throughout the entire dish and can be filled with any choice of meat, brushed with a yogurt egg wash, and sprinkled with sesame! I usually make my Boreks with beef but this time I wanted to create something a little different and it came out very good!
Growing up, Borek was a trademark in our home because it was super yummy and easy to make! We would have this dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It’s such a versatile dish! We would stuff it with different filling options such as seasoned beef with nuts, potatoes with fresh herbs, seasoned spinach with cheese, and cheese by itself (feta cheese). Our other favorite was Spinach Feta Borek which is also amazing! Most all of these options are a great choice!
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IN THIS POST: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT LAMB & ROASTED PINE NUT BOREK
- WHAT IS BOREK?
- 🍴INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS LAMB & PINE NUT BOREK
- STEPS TO MAKE THIS LAMB & ROASTED PINE NUT BOREK
- HOW TO ROLL YOUR DOUGH
- HOW TO SHAPE YOUR BOREK
- PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?
- JUMP TO RECIPE CARD
WHAT IS BOREK?
This savory pastry is very common and popular in Middle Eastern and Eastern European cuisines. This dish has many different names and spelling variations due to its wide geographic spectrum. Here are a few other alternative ways to spell Borek – “Burek”, “Bòrek”, “Börek,” and even “Bourek”. Other names for Borek are Burekas (Israeli) and Burricche (European).
Borek can come in many different shapes and sizes like triangles, swirls, cigars, or round pies. If you know how to handle phyllo dough then you’re in for a treat! If you’re not familiar with phyllo dough it can be challenging! Don’t be afraid all you need is time, patience, and gentle hands. Phyllo dough is very thin which makes it very fragile so you have to handle it with care and work fast because it does tend to dry out quickly which I’ll explain down below.
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🍴INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS LAMB & PINE NUT BOREK
Here is a preview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe! You can find these at your local grocery store or you can shop online. (Detailed Ingredients in Recipe Card down below)
💡TIPS BEFORE STARTING THIS RECIPE
- Remove Phyllo Dough from the freezer and place into the fridge to thaw out the night before. You will only need 8 sheets of phyllo dough overall from the entire package. You can always re-freeze extra phyllo dough sheets for later (make sure to wrap them back into their plastic casing and place them back into the freezer in an air-tight plastic bag).
- Sort out your phyllo dough and get the best pieces. Sometimes phyllo dough can be cracked when unraveled so go through and pick the best ones to use. Make sure to cover them with a damp cloth when you aren’t handling them.
- Cover Phyllo Dough sheets with plastic wrap and lay a towel over them as you work especially with the ones you’re not working with. They tend to dry out very quickly so you have to cover them well. Additionally, keeping your dough moist will allow it to handle and form easier and won’t allow it to crack as you use it.
- Make sure your Borek Filling is slightly cooled off before placing it onto your phyllo dough.
- We used a 10″ diameter baking dish.
FOR THE LAMB FILLING
- Ground Lamb
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Pine nuts
- Pomegranate Molasses
- Garlic
- Butter
- Cilantro
- 1 package of Phyllo Dough
SUBSTITUTIONS
- LAMB / BEEF – If you’re not into Lamb you can easily switch this recipe to Beef.
- LEFTOVER PHYLLO DOUGH – You can also use the extra phyllo dough and make smaller Boreks or use it for another recipe for later by just freezing the leftovers.
- PINE NUTS / OTHER NUT OR DRIED FRUIT – You can use different types of nuts like walnuts and pecans for this recipe replacing the pine nuts. You can also use raisins or prunes for a sweeter taste.
Note: The photo above is missing the yogurt but we did put yogurt in the eggwash mixture. 😋
FOR THE TOP LAYER EGGWASH
- Egg
- Butter
- Yogurt
FOR THE TOPPINGS
- Sesame Seeds
STEPS TO MAKE THIS LAMB & ROASTED PINE NUT BOREK
Making Borek in a baking pan is faster than making them individually sized because it’s less time put into it. Here are my easy step-by-step instructions as I have shown below.
Step 1: Roast Pine Nuts in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes until golden brown.
Step 2: Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a saucepan saute onions in 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil on high heat until slightly golden. Place lamb into pan along with onions and break down until small ground pieces. Allow lamb to cook well on one side before stirring. Occasionally stir lamb and cook until its liquid evaporates (it is important to cook lamb until it’s dehydrated). Add in spices and garlic and saute for another 2 minutes on high heat.
Step 3: Remove from heat, and slightly cool off for 15-20 minutes. Add pine nuts, pomegranate molasses, and fresh chopped cilantro and give it a mix (if you notice the lamb mixture is too dry and you prefer it moist, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to the lamb mixture, cover it with a lid, and sit for a few minutes before placing nuts and herbs while it cools off).
Step 4: Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° degrees (200 degrees C) and butter your dish ahead of time.
Step 5: Place 4 sheets of phyllo dough in your working space and cover the rest of the dough with a damp cloth. Place a sheet of wax paper on your working surface and place one sheet of phyllo down (using wax paper helps roll and form your roll easier). Sprinkle and brush butter lightly over the top of your dough with a pastry brush. Place 2nd layer perfectly fitting over your 1st layer very carefully and spread the butter evenly. Place the 3rd layer and brush the butter and the 4th layer the same.
Step 6: Place a line of the lamb meat mixture along the edge of the phyllo dough. Roll phyllo dough up and over and around and roll once over. Cut along the side of the dough, brush butter over the top, move the roll to your baking dish, and start forming your roll from the center. Shape tightly turn the roll into a spiral roll and gently squeeze the roll together (make sure to keep your roll form from not opening and falling apart). Continue creating more rolls and continue your swirl dough shape as can be seen below.
If you like, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for a list of full ingredients and instructions. You can also click on the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page! 😀
HOW TO ROLL YOUR DOUGH
Another Key Point: You will need 8 phyllo sheets of dough for this entire recipe and this will make a total of 6 rolls.
HOW TO SHAPE YOUR BOREK
Step 7: Lastly, whisk together egg, yogurt, and butter, and brush over the top of the entire borek. Sprinkle sesames on top and bake for 45 minutes until golden in color. Allow it to cool off before cutting into and serving. Enjoy!
PREFER TO WATCH STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE VIDEO INSTEAD OF READING?
Have you tried making our recipe yet? If so, we would LOVE to hear how it turned out! You can post, tag, rate, and comment down below and on Instagram! 👇 Thank you in advance!
Other Relatable Recipes:
Try a few of our other relatable recipes like our Spinach Feta Borek and Cheese Boreks!
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Lamb & Roasted Pine Nut Borek
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Lamb & Roasted Pine Nut Borek
This flaky, crispy spiral work of art is called Lamb & Roasted Pine Nut Borek. Its savory, sweet, salty flavors are out of this world! This Borek has buttered layers of phyllo dough and is filled with ground lamb, fresh herbs, and authentic Mediterranian-flavored spices with sweet tangy pomegranate molasses which tops the notch! It looks challenging to make, but I promise it’s super easy to create! Once you make this dish, your family and guests will thank you!
Ingredients
FOR THE LAMB MIXTURE
- 1 lb (85% lean /15% fat) Ground Lamb
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/3 cup Pine nuts
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Pomegranate Molasses
- 3 cloves crushed Garlic
- 6 tablespoons melted Butter
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped Cilantro
- 1 package / only 8 sheets of Phyllo Dough
FOR THE EGGWASH
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon melted Butter
TOPPINGS
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
-
Start by roast Pine Nuts in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat for a few minutes until golden brown.
-
Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a saucepan saute onions in 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil on high heat until slightly golden. Place lamb into pan along with onions and break down until small ground pieces. Allow lamb to cook well on one side before stirring. Occasionally stir lamb and cook until its liquid evaporates (it is important to cook lamb until it’s dehydrated). Add in spices and garlic and saute for another 2 minutes on high heat.
-
Remove from heat, slightly cool off for 15-20 minutes, and then add pine nuts, pomegranate molasses, and fresh chopped cilantro and give it a mix (if you notice the lamb mixture is too dry and you prefer it moist, add 1-2 teaspoons of water to the lamb mixture, cover it with a lid, and sit for a few minutes before placing nuts and herbs while it cools off).
-
Preheat oven to 350° degrees (200 degrees C) and butter your dish ahead of time.
-
Place 4 sheets of phyllo dough in your working space and cover the rest of the dough with a damp cloth. Place a sheet of wax paper on your working surface and place one sheet of phyllo down (using wax paper helps roll and form your roll easier). Sprinkle and brush butter lightly over the top of your dough with a pastry brush. Place 2nd layer perfectly fitting over your 1st layer very carefully and spread the butter evenly. Place the 3rd layer and brush the butter and the 4th layer the same.
-
Place a line of the lamb meat mixture along the edge of the phyllo dough. Roll phyllo dough up and over and around and roll once over. Cut along the side of the dough, brush butter over the top, move the roll to your baking dish, and start forming your roll from the center. Shape tightly turn the roll into a spiral roll and gently squeeze the roll together (make sure to keep your roll form from not opening and falling apart). Continue creating more rolls and continue your swirl dough shape.
-
Whisk together egg, yogurt, and butter, and brush over the top of the entire Borek. Sprinkle sesames on top and bake for 45 minutes until golden in color. Allow it to cool off before cutting into and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Remove Phyllo Dough from the freezer and place into the fridge to thaw out the night before. You will only need 8 sheets of phyllo dough from the entire package. You can always re-freeze extra phyllo dough sheets for later (make sure to wrap them back into their plastic casing and place them back into the freezer in an air-tight plastic bag).
- Sort out your phyllo dough and get the best pieces. Sometimes phyllo dough can be cracked when unraveled so go through and pick the best ones to use. Make sure to cover them with a damp cloth when you aren’t handling them.
- Cover Phyllo Dough sheets with plastic wrap and lay a towel over them as you work. They tend to dry out very quickly so you have to cover them well. Keeping your dough moist will allow it to handle and form easier and won’t allow it to crack as you use it.
- Make sure your Borek Filling is slightly cooled off before placing it onto your phyllo dough.
- We used a 10″ diameter baking dish.
*** Our Nutrition information is estimated, so please make sure to check your own calculation to fit your diet.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Borek
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: Borek, Finger Foods, Lamb Borek, phyllo dough, stuffed phyllo dough
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