Paçanga Böreği (Pastırma and Cheese Rolls)

How to Make Crisp, Sealed Paçanga Böreği

Paçanga böreği announces itself when cut: cured pastırma, melted kaşar and colourful pepper sit inside a broad crisp roll. Its wrapper is yufka rather than puff pastry, and frying gives the classic fragile blistered shell. Tomato is welcome in this version, but only after its seeds and free juice have been removed; wet filling steams the pastry from within and encourages the seam to burst.

Cook the diced peppers first, then add tomato and keep the pan moving until it looks dry. Cool completely before combining with cheese and pastırma. Warm filling melts fat before the wrapper reaches the oil and makes rolling slippery. Neither pastırma nor kaşar is shy about salt, so taste the components and add no automatic extra salt; black pepper is usually enough.

Cut each large round yufka into four broad triangles. A short even line of filling creates a substantial rectangular roll rather than the narrow shape of sigara böreği. Fold the side flaps tightly over the ends, roll without squeezing cheese through the pastry, and water-seal the pointed tip. Keep the remaining sheets covered because dry yufka cracks exactly where hot cheese will later escape.

Oil at 180-185°C sets the wrapper quickly. Fry a small batch with room around every roll, let the temperature recover and drain on a rack rather than trapping steam on a flat plate. Two minutes of rest protects diners from molten cheese while retaining its stretch. The pastries are at their best immediately, with a fresh salad or yogurt sauce served separately.