This Jammy Eggplant Börek (Eggplant & Capsicum Filo Pie) is filled with roasted eggplant, capsicum and caramelised onions cooked down with tomato paste and warming spices until rich, glossy and almost spreadable. Wrapped in buttery filo pastry and baked until golden and crisp, it's a deeply savoury pie that's sure to impress anyone, even the meat lovers.
Inspired by a börek I picked up at a farmers market, this version leans into everything I loved most about it; silky eggplant, plenty of olive oil and buttery crisp filo pastry.
Looking for other delish vegetarian recipes? You'll love my Pine Mushroom Omelette or my Vegan Lentil Sausage Rolls.
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Why you'll love this Jammy Eggplant Börek (Eggplant & Capsicum Filo Pie)
- Inspired by a farmers market favourite. After trying a slice of eggplant börek at a local farmers market, I couldn't stop thinking about the rich, jammy filling and crisp filo pastry. This recipe is my attempt to recreate it at home.
- The filling is packed with flavour. Roasted eggplant, capsicum, caramelised onions, tomato paste and warm spices cook down into a rich, savoury filling that's far greater than the sum of its parts.
- Beautiful contrast of textures. Every bite combines silky vegetables with layers of buttery, crisp filo pastry.
- Perfect for entertaining. Serve it warm or at room temperature as part of a long lunch, picnic spread or casual dinner.
- Naturally vegetarian. Even without cheese or meat, the filling feels hearty, rich and satisfying.
- Great for making ahead. The filling can be prepared in advance and the finished börek reheats beautifully.
Ingredients for Jammy Eggplant Börek (Eggplant & Capsicum Filo Pie)
- Lebanese eggplants are the star of this recipe. Roasting them until completely collapsed creates a silky, jammy filling with plenty of flavour.
- Red capsicum adds sweetness and balances the richness of the eggplant.
- Brown onions are slowly cooked until golden and caramelised, adding depth and sweetness to the filling.
- Olive oil is essential for creating the rich, glossy texture that makes the filling so luxurious.
- Tomato paste adds savoury depth and helps give the filling its rich colour.
- Garlic provides a subtle savoury backbone without overpowering the vegetables.
- Ground cumin adds warmth and earthiness that pairs beautifully with eggplant.
- Ground coriander brings a subtle citrusy note and rounds out the spices.
- Chilli flakes provide a gentle warmth and balance the sweetness of the vegetables.
- Sea salt and black pepper enhance all the flavours and help season the filling properly.
- Filo pastry creates the crisp, flaky layers that make börek so irresistible.
- Butter brushed between the pastry layers ensures a deeply golden, crunchy finish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Roast the eggplant and capsicum
Step 2: Caramelise the onion then mix through the tomato paste, garlic and spices
Step 3: Chop up the roasted capsicum and eggplant and combine with the jammy onion mixture
Step 4: Line a round baking dish with 6 layers of filo, with butter brushed in-between each layer.
Step 5: Fold over the excess filo, top with an extra 3 sheets of scrunched up filo then brush with a final coating of butter and bake.
Step 6: Serve with garlic yogurt and chilli sauce and enjoy.
Hint: Roast the eggplant until it looks almost overcooked. The softer and more collapsed it becomes, the richer and silkier the filling will be.
Substitutions
- Replace the Lebanese eggplants with 2 large globe eggplants.
- Swap the red capsicum for roasted red peppers from a jar.
- Replace the chilli flakes with Aleppo pepper for a milder heat.
Variations
- Stir through 100g crumbled feta before assembling.
- Add finely chopped parsley or dill to the filling.
- Mix through sautéed mushrooms for an earthier flavour.
Equipment
The ecology baking dish I used for this doesn't seem to be available online anymore, however something like this one would be perfect.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 180C oven for 10–15 minutes to help restore the crispness of the pastry. Alternatively you can microwave it for 1 minute, but the pastry won't be as crispy.
Top Tip
Don't skimp on the butter between the filo layers. It helps create those crisp, golden, flaky layers that make börek so irresistible.
FAQ
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge before assembling and baking.
Can I freeze eggplant börek?
Yes. Bake, cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
Can I serve it cold?
Absolutely. It's delicious warm, room temperature or straight from the fridge the next day.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Jammy Eggplant Börek (Eggplant & Capsicum Filo Pie)
Ingredients
- 6 Lebanese eggplants halved lengthways (approx 1kg)
- 1 large red capsicum quartered
- 2 brown onions thinly sliced
- 80 ml olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus extra to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 9 sheets filo pastry (approx 150 - 200g)
- 80 g butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220C fan.
- Arrange the eggplant and capsicum on a large baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season lightly with salt.
- Roast for 40 - 50 minutes, or until the eggplant is completely collapsed and soft and the capsicum is blistered and lightly charred. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, bring a large frying pan to low heat with the remaining olive oil. Add the onions along with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden, soft and jammy.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes. Cook for a further 3 - 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the tomato paste darkens and becomes fragrant.
- Roughly chop the roasted capsicum then transfer the roasted eggplant to a chopping board and roughly chop it, including all of the skin. You want visible pieces of eggplant skin throughout the filling rather than a smooth purée.
- Add the eggplant and capsicum to the onion mixture and stir everything together. Cook for another 2 - 3 minutes until combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Add more salt if needed. The filling should be rich, glossy and almost spreadable. If it looks dry, stir through an extra drizzle of olive oil.
- Reduce the oven to 190C fan.
- Brush a 24 - 26 cm round baking dish with a little melted butter.
- Lay one sheet of filo into the dish, allowing it to overhang the edges. Brush lightly with butter. Repeat with another 6 sheets, rotating them slightly each time so they fan out around the dish. Brush each layer with butter.
- Spread the eggplant filling evenly into the dish.
- Fold the overhanging filo over the filling towards the centre.
- Scrunch the remaining 3 sheets of filo over the top and brush generously with the remaining butter.
- Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp.
- Allow the börek to rest for 15 - 20 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.
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