Sigara böreği are Turkish fried rolls most commonly filled with cheese. They are a traditional Turkish delicacy, part of the extensive family of Turkish dishes known as “börek.”
The word “sigara” in Turkish means “cigarette” and refers to the shape of this specialty – thin, long rolls resembling cigarettes in shape. Börek, in general, has its roots in the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire and has become one of the most widespread and popular dishes throughout Turkey and the countries that were formerly part of the Ottoman Empire.
The preparation is relatively simple. Dough similar to puff pastry is cut into triangular or rectangular shapes. These are most commonly filled with a mixture of crumbled white cheese and chopped parsley. The dough is tightly rolled to form the characteristic slim rolls, and the edges are lightly brushed with water to prevent them from unrolling during frying. Finally, the rolls are briefly fried in hot oil until they develop a golden and crispy crust.
Sigara böreği are popular in Turkey as an appetizer, snack, or part of breakfast. They are traditionally served hot and crispy. A popular accompaniment is traditional Turkish tea.
I enjoyed having one or two pieces of sigara böreği as part of breakfast at my accommodation in Göreme in Cappadocia. I love cheese-based dishes, so I couldn’t resist this crispy treat. Paired with Turkish tea, sigara böreği made for the perfect start to the day, even when it was snowing heavily during my visit. Yes, in mid-April! 😇
Bon appétit!
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