paçanga — Turkey

Paçanga böreği is a fried pastry snack made by rolling thin sheets of yufka around a filling of cured beef (pastırma) and shredded kaşar cheese, sometimes with a few slices of green pepper or tomato added inside. The rolls are sealed, then deep-fried or pan-fried in oil until the pastry blisters and turns a deep golden brown. This version is prepared in Turkey, where paçanga is served as a meze, a starter to accompany drinks, or a quick fried snack in börekçi shops and home kitchens alike. It is almost always brought to the table hot, cut into batons, alongside a simple tomato-based dip. The yufka sheets are cut into strips, and a small amount of chopped pastırma and grated kaşar is placed at one end of each strip before it is rolled up tightly into a short cylinder and sealed with a little water or egg wash. The rolls are fried in batches in shallow or deep oil until the surface crackles and the cheese inside has melted. Where other Turkish fried pastries lean on spinach, minced meat or potato fillings, paçanga is defined specifically by the pairing of pastırma and kaşar, which gives it a stronger, more peppery and garlicky note than most other börek, and its rolled shape sets it apart from the triangular or flat forms used for many other fillings.