Perfect Borek Recipe

"It's all about the dough, which is the superstar here."

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound mild green peppers (such as cubanelles or Anaheims) stemmed, seeded and coarsely
chopped
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 pounds ground beef
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¾ cup canola oil, plus more for brushing
5 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 (16-ounce) package yufka dough
2 tablespoons nigella sativa (black cumin seeds)

Directions

After Action Bronson got a baklava baking lesson from his aunt on the last episode of Fuck, That's Delicious, he stuck around the kitchen while she made another one of his buttery childhood favorites: borek with ground beef, a.k.a what Chicagoan deep-dish virtuosos would make if they were Albanians living in Queens. Borek, or bourek, is a dozen finessed layers of crispy filo dough (sometimes referred to as "pita") with savory filling and a special ingredient: sweat from your filthy palms. Here's an Action-inspired borek recipe from the cooks at the Opera Cafe & Lounge in Sheepshead Bay, New York.

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the peppers, Aleppo spice, and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the beef and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and meat to a bowl and let cool slightly.

3. Preheat the oven to 400° degrees F and lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and 1/2 cup of the canola oil. Lay a sheet of yufka on a work surface and brush with the egg mixture; repeat until you have a stack of 2 sheets. Transfer the stack to the baking dish and spread one-third of the beef mixture on top. Repeat the layering twice more with the brushed yufka sheets and beef filling, then end with a stack of brushed yufka.

5. Trim the overhanging yufka slightly and tuck it under itself. Brush any remaining egg mixture on top of the borek, top with the nigella sativa seeds, and bake until deeply golden on top and sizzling, about 45 minutes.

6. Let the borek rest for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

From How-To: Make Borek with Action Bronson and His Aunt