Peynir, Turkish Cheese

Turks eat alot of cheese.  I have heard that there are over 100 different types of cheese throughout Turkey. All the different regions again making thier own specialities.  Cheese is mainly eaten for breakfast or used in the cooking of various böreks.  There are some cheese desert recipes as well the most famous being Künefe, Kadayif Noodles with Kaşar Peynır.


The most popular cheeses are Beyaz, Kaşar and Tulum.  


Tulum cheese has a white or cream colour, soft-crumbly texture and a high fat content.  İt is traditionaly made in sheep or goat skins and left to mature, also being made from sheep or goats mik.  You can now find Tulum cheeses maturing in other containers.


Kaşar cheese can be made from sheep or cows milk and resembles a processed cheese.  İt is suitable for cooking ie melted cheese on toast or for pizza. 


Beyaz cheese is the one probably most widely eaten. This is very similar to fetta.  There are many versions of this cheese.  Some being just as salty as fetta whilst others are nice and smooth more akin to cream cheese.  You will find this cheese on a meze menu and is very popular when eaten with alongside Rakı.


A few more popular ones are,


Dil cheese.  This has a similar taste to Kaşar but instead of moulding it they stretch it, it becomes fiberous and comes in strands.  This is nice for breakfast.


Orgu cheese is very nice, can be a bit salty.  It comes in little braids so looks great on a plate.  It has a firm texture.


Van cheese resembles beyaz cheese but has a mixture of herbs added into it.  It is a speciality from Van. 


Lor cheese is the main ingredient for böreks and isnt a solid cheese instead it is the curds.  Maybe more like a dry cottage cheese. 

Lor Peynir at the Bazaar

Goat and Sheep Cheese

Dill Peynir

Left-Gaziantep cheese Right-Plaited cheese

Noodle type, Salty slab and at the back Kasar peynir

Herbal cheeses of which Van is famous for

Sigara Börek, Cheese Rolls

Sigara böregi ("cigar börek," named for its shape) is filled with feta cheese and parsley.

When we lived in İstanbul my 2nd son was at a loss for something to do so I suggested he found a job.  We saw a sign in a window of a Börek shop saying apprentice wanted.  Just the thing for him as he liked cooking at the time, was 12 years old and ate alot. The apprentice system in Turkey is a bit different from other places, some places will pay them some wont, some will work them to death others whilst others are a bit more child aware.  This Börek shop was ok they definately made him work, sweeping the floors, making the tea, making deliveries etc but at the same time fed him well, gave him some pocket money, trained him by teaching him how to make them and also by giving him left overs to bring home to us. The owner was from Tunceli, home of the famous Tunceli börek and he also had won first prize making this Börek.  

Börek is a type of baked or fried filled pastry, popular around the Mediterranean Sea, the Slavic cuisines, throughout the Balkans and the former Ottoman Empire. They are made of a thin flaky dough, yufka in Turkish or better known as phyllo pastry, and are filled with white cheese, fetta, minced meat, potatoes, onions or other vegetables. Börek may be prepared in a large baking tray and cut into portions after baking, or as individual pastries. A variety of vegetables, herbs and spices are used in böreks such as spinach, nettle, leek, potato and eggplants.

  

The pastry here that I make the cheese rolls out of is very different to phyllo pastry as it is softer and not so fragile. It is also made in large circles and phyllo is sold in rectangular sheets. I was surprised when I came here that all the baking things came in circles, circular baking tins, circular pastry, circular ovens etc.  I had to overcome my rectangular mindset. To make this börek you want to end up with something that looks like spring rolls. I think you could probably cut the phyllo sheets into halves vertically and use those for this dish.

Lor Peynir - Cheese

200gr contiental cottage cheese or crumbled fetta cheese

1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley

enough phyllo sheets for about 20 rolls

oil for frying

This makes about 20 rolls if you dont over fill. Put the cheese and parsley into a bowl and mix well. ( you can add chili flakes if you wish, I dont add salt as the cheese is usually salty enough)Place the cut phyllo sheets on the counter or table and place a teaspoon amount of the mixture on the bottom of the sheet.  Roll up tightly and seal the edge with water.  Continue with the rest of the mixture.  Heat up enough oil - 250 ml - in a saucepan and deep fry the rolls until golden in colour.