Tepsi böreği describes the tray-baked form rather than one fixed filling. Turkish households prepare it with cheese, spinach, minced meat or potatoes, and the layering method varies with the pastry. Fresh Turkish yufka is larger and generally sturdier than packaged phyllo; this recipe therefore treats two phyllo sheets as one working layer. White cheese supplies the familiar savory tang, while fresh kaşar adds a gentle melt. Serve the squares warm at breakfast, at tea time or beside a simple salad. This is not su böreği: the pastry sheets are layered directly and are not boiled first.
Peynirli Tepsi Böreği — Recipe Card
Turkish tray börek with white cheese and parsley
Makes 8 servingsUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Peynirli Tepsi Böreği
Prepare the oven and pan
Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Brush a 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13-inch) metal baking pan or shallow baking dish with the 15 ml (1 tablespoon) olive oil. Keep the phyllo wrapped until the filling and soaking mixture are ready.
Mix the cheese filling
Combine the crumbled white cheese, grated kaşar, parsley, 1 egg and black pepper. Do not add salt before tasting the cheese; beyaz peynir is usually salty enough. Keep the filling cool while you make the soaking mixture.
Whisk the soaking mixture
Whisk the remaining 2 eggs with the milk, water and 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil until evenly combined. Measure rather than pouring by eye so the layers become tender without turning sodden.
Build the lower layers
Unroll the phyllo and cover the unused sheets with a barely damp clean towel. Fit 2 sheets into the prepared pan, allowing small folds rather than compressing them. Brush or spoon about 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of the soaking mixture over the surface. Repeat with 5 more pairs, using 12 sheets in total.
Add the filling and finish layering
Spread the cheese filling evenly to the edges. Cover with 2 phyllo sheets and moisten lightly; repeat with the remaining sheets in pairs. Tuck any overhang inside the pan. Cut the unbaked börek into 8 squares with a sharp knife, then distribute the remaining soaking mixture over the cuts and surface. Sprinkle with nigella or sesame seeds if using and rest for 10 minutes.
Bake until deeply golden
Bake on the middle rack for 35–45 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven browns unevenly. The top should be crisp and deep golden, the center should no longer look wet, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register at least 71°C/160°F because the filling contains egg.
Rest and serve
Rest the tray for 15 minutes so the moist inner layers settle and the squares lift cleanly. Recut along the original lines and serve warm rather than piping hot.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-cheese-tray-borek-peynirli-tepsi-boregi. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
Make it work in your kitchen
Ingredient Substitutions
These swaps change flavor or texture as described. Keep the original ingredients for the closest version of the dish.
Turkish white cheese
Use the same weight of firm feta, well drained. Taste before adding salt: feta varies in saltiness. The filling may be tangier and slightly drier.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Yufka and phyllo
Fresh Turkish yufka is the traditional choice and is thicker and larger than packaged phyllo. If using 4 large fresh yufka sheets instead, tear or fold them to fit and moisten each layer lightly; do not try to match the 24-sheet phyllo count.
Dietary notes
The base recipe is vegetarian only when both cheeses are made with vegetarian or microbial rennet. It contains wheat, milk and egg and is not gluten-free. Check the phyllo label for additional allergens and the cheese label if animal rennet is a concern.
Heat level
No added chili. For gentle heat, add 1/2 teaspoon pul biber to the cheese filling; for a clearly hotter version, use 1 teaspoon hot pul biber.
Raw dough safety
Do not taste raw phyllo or the uncooked egg mixture. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after contact with raw flour dough and egg.
How to store and reheat Peynirli Tepsi Böreği
Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours of baking and keep at 4°C/40°F or colder for no more than 3–4 days. Reheat individual squares in a 180°C/350°F oven until the center reaches 74°C/165°F; the oven restores the crust better than the microwave. Discard any portion left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour above 32°C/90°F.
Peynirli Tepsi Böreği: questions and answers
Is phyllo the same as Turkish yufka?
No. Fresh Turkish yufka is usually larger, rounder and sturdier. Phyllo is thinner, so this recipe stacks two sheets for each working layer and keeps the remaining sheets covered to prevent drying.
Why did my börek turn soggy?
Too much liquid in one spot, very wet cheese or cutting immediately after baking can soften the base. Measure the soaking mixture, drain wet cheese, bake until the center is set and rest the tray for 15 minutes before lifting the squares.
Can I assemble it ahead?
Yes. Assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, then bake directly from the refrigerator; allow roughly 5 extra minutes and confirm that the center reaches 71°C/160°F.
