Sou-Berag(h)

[Jake]

I was shopping in my favourite middle eastern store yesterday and saw trays upon trays of this in the frozen area. It was too busy to talk to the staff there, but I would really like to know what it is. It looked like some sort of pastry, but is it sweet or savoury. The woman beside me said she thought it was an Armenian dish, but I have no idea if that is accurate or not. I think I got the spelling right, can anyone shed some light on this for me?

[FoodMan]

Google returned this when I searched for Sou-Berag. Is that what it looked like? Some sort of Lasagna type dish? Personally I've never heard of it.

[Nicolai]

Sou Berag is an a savoury Armenian Phylo cheese turnover.

Of course the original recipe does not call for Phylo but home made pastry base which brings us to the term Borag or Burak or Burek or Bureg.

This is the Armenian/Turkish definition of filled pasties ad eternum.

A famous Libano/Syrian dish is Shish Barak or Burek or whatever the phonetic variation is used.

It is a very fine dish of meat filled "Bureg" in a Yoghurt and Garlic preparation.

[Swisskaese]

I think Berag is the Armenian word for Bureka. This dish is typically (at least here in Israel) made with phyllo and I think it is similar to spanikopita without the spinach. You find in made in pans and as turnovers (burekas).

However, I also saw the recipes for Armenian lasagna. So, maybe it is both.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Swisskaese (log)

[Jake]

You guys are awesome. It definitely did not look like any type of lasagna, there were both sizes Michelle mentions, and it was definitely pastry not noodles, it didn't look like phyllo from what I could see, but I'm not sure. They do make most of their refrigerated/frozen items themselves.

I guess this just means I'll have to go back and buy one for a taste test!

[Wolfert]

In Turkish, sou means water and boregi means the pastry.

This is one of the oldest and most traditional dishes of Turkish cooking.

It does look like lasagna, but the dough is made with more eggs and is rolled thinner than pasta.

Each sheet is cooked separately in boiling water then layered in a round or rectangular pan with a cheese or ground meat filling. It is slowly baked in the oven then finished on top of the fire in order to crisp the outer layer.

[FoodMan]

In Turkish, sou means water  and boregi means the pastry.

This is one of the oldest and most traditional dishes of  Turkish cooking.

It does look like lasagna, but the dough is made with more eggs and is rolled thinner than pasta.

Each sheet  is cooked separately in boiling water then layered in a round or rectangular pan with a cheese or ground meat filling. It is slowly baked in the oven then finished on top of the fire in order to crisp the outer layer.

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Very interesting. So are there two versions of the dish? The turnover one and the casserole one? Is one more traditional in certain regions than the other maybe?

[Wolfert]

There are many turnover-shaped boreks, but they are made with other kinds of pastry dough.

I know sou bouregi prepared in a tray, but perhaps there are regional variations. If so, I'd love to know about them.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Wolfert (log)

[Jake]

This was prepared in a tray, 2 different sizes. Thanks so much for the information, Paula. I am going to try and get back there this week to purchase one. If/when I do I will post a photo here if anyone would like.

[FoodMan]

This was prepared in a tray, 2 different sizes.  Thanks so much for the information, Paula.  I am going to try and get back there this week to purchase one.  If/when I do I will post a photo here if anyone would like.

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Sure, please do along with your comments on how you liked it.