Beurrecks à la Turque

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1.5-quart heavy saucepan
• •Pasta machine or 30 cm rolling pin
• •4-quart Dutch oven or deep heavy pot
• •Deep-frying thermometer
• •Wire rack and rimmed tray
• •Wire skimmer or long-handled slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Reduce the Béchamel

   Put the Béchamel in a small heavy saucepan and bring it to the gentlest simmer. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly across the bottom and into the corners, until only 2/3 cup (160 ml / about 165 g) remains and the spatula leaves a clean path that stays open for several seconds. This reduction is the foundation: a loose sauce cannot be imprisoned inside a fried crust. If the bottom catches, stop stirring, pour the unscorched sauce into a clean pan without scraping the burnt film, and continue gently.

2. 2

   Chill and shape

   Let the reduced Béchamel stand for 5 minutes so it is warm rather than hot, then fold in the equal volume of Gruyère dice and the cayenne. Spread the mixture about 1 cm thick on a lightly moistened plate, cover its surface, and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes. Divide the firm filling into 12 portions, about 22 g each, and roll each into a cigar roughly 6 cm long. If the portions slump, return them to the cold for 15 minutes. Don't add crumbs to stiffen them, because that changes the filling instead of correcting the temperature.

3. 3

   Sleeve in pasta

   Roll the pâte à nouilles thinner than 1 mm, thin enough that a shadow shows through it, and cut twelve rectangles about 8 by 10 cm. Keep the unused pasta covered so it stays supple. Lay a filling cigar across the lower third of each rectangle, brush the edges sparingly with water, fold the sides over the ends, and roll closely into a completely sealed parcel. Press the seam without crushing the filling and set it seam-side down. If the pasta tears, cover the hole with a paper-thin dampened scrap and press its edges flat. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Coat à l’anglaise

   Arrange three shallow dishes in order: flour, the prepared Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174), and fine breadcrumbs. Roll each Beurreck lightly in flour and shake away the excess, coat it completely with the Anglaise, then press it gently through the crumbs. This panure à l’anglaise, the flour, prepared coating, and breadcrumb armour, must have no bald spots or exposed seams. Dip any bare patch back into the Anglaise and cover it with crumbs. Chill the coated Beurrecks for 15 minutes so the crust settles.

5. 5

   Fry at once

   Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot, filling it no more than halfway, and heat it to 190°C (375°F). Fry three Beurrecks at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Let the fat return to 190°C between batches; this heat sets the crust immediately, while cooler fat soaks the crumbs and encourages the cheese to escape. If the first Beurreck leaks, lift it out at once, restore the temperature, and inspect the uncooked pieces. Patch any weak seam with flour, a little Anglaise, and crumbs, then chill it for 10 minutes before trying again. Drain on a wire rack and serve the moment the last batch is ready. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Dice the Gruyère rather than grating it. Tiny cubes preserve the book’s equal-volume ratio and leave distinct pockets of cheese inside the thick Béchamel; grated cheese disappears into the sauce and changes its structure.
• •Fresh, supple pasta is essential. Bought fresh lasagne sheets are an honest home equivalent if they are plain and unruffled; roll them thinner before cutting. Dried sheets crack at the folds even after soaking and won't make a dependable sleeve.
• •Use a thermometer. The difference between a dry golden crust and an oil-laden one is often twenty degrees, and the eye cannot judge the temperature of clear fat with enough precision.
• •Serve these without a sauce. The molten Béchamel and Gruyère are already the sauce, safely inside. A dry sparkling wine or a taut white wine cuts through the richness cleanly.

Advance Preparation

• •The reduced Béchamel and Gruyère filling can be mixed, covered directly on its surface, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before shaping.
• •The Beurrecks can be wrapped, coated, and refrigerated on a parchment-lined tray for up to 4 hours. Keep them cold and fry only as the guests settle at the table.
• •Do not hold the fried Beurrecks in a low oven. The filling continues to loosen while the crumb coating loses its crispness, so the last-minute frying required by the original method must stay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)