borek

Where does the word "borek" come from? It comes from Ottoman Turkish börek, passing through Bosnian before entering English (1900s).

Borek’s story begins in Ottoman Turkish: börek meant “filled pastry.” Pies of paper-thin dough spread with Ottoman rule across the Balkans and Middle East. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Bosnian as burek. In Bosnia 'burek' means only the meat-filled spiral; cheese or spinach versions are called 'pita'. It reached English by 1900s as borek. Entered English through Turkish, Balkan and Armenian cooking. Today, borek means a baked or fried pastry of thin dough with a savoury filling.

1. Stage 1 · Ottoman Turkish · 1400s-1500s börek "filled pastry", pies of paper-thin dough spread with Ottoman rule across the Balkans and Middle East.
2. Stage 2 · Bosnian · 1600s burek "meat pastry", in Bosnia 'burek' means only the meat-filled spiral; cheese or spinach versions are called 'pita'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s borek "savoury filled pastry", entered English through Turkish, Balkan and Armenian cooking.