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Boyoz
Flaky layered breakfast pastry
Boyoz: İzmir's flaky, oil-layered breakfast pastry, eaten with a boiled egg
İzmir mornings begin at a boyoz stand in Alsancak or Kemeraltı: a small round pastry of paper-thin, oil-stretched dough, coiled into a snail and baked until the layers shatter, eaten beside a halved hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea. Sephardic Jews brought it to the city centuries ago, and İzmir has guarded it ever since. The dough itself is plain; the magic is in the long rest in oil and the stretching. Chef's tip: let the dough balls sit submerged in oil for a full two hours; they relax so completely that you can stretch them almost transparent without tearing.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 14 oz plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor resting and stretching
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour, 1 tsp salt and 1 cup lukewarm water into a soft dough and knead for 10 minutes, until silky and elastic. Rest it covered for 20 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Divide into 10 balls. Pour 1 ¼ cups sunflower oil into a deep dish, roll the balls in it so they are submerged, cover and leave at room temperature for 2 hours.
120 minStep 3: Oil the worktop well. Lift a ball, flatten it and stretch it gently from the centre outward with oily fingers into a very thin sheet, about 35 cm across. Small holes don't matter. Common mistake: using flour on the bench; it stops the dough stretching.
Step 4: Drizzle with a little oil, then roll it up loosely into a rope, twisting as you go. Coil the rope into a tight snail and tuck the end underneath. Repeat with the rest.
Step 5: Set on lined trays and rest for 15 minutes while you heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan).
15 minStep 6: Press each coil gently to flatten slightly. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until deep golden and crisp on top and underneath.
25 minStep 7: Serve warm, İzmir style, beside a halved hard-boiled egg (leave it out to keep it vegan) and a glass of tea.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does boyoz take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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