Nothing oozes "Sephardi" more than Easy Cheesy Bourekas (burekas). They are integral to both Sephardic Jews and Israeli cuisine. Bourekas come in a wide variety of shapes and fillings.
Common boureka fillings include mashed potato, spinach or cheese. My favorite filling, by far, is cheese. Nothing else comes close.
I prefer to make everything from scratch. However, it takes some time to make a good boureka dough. That is why pre-made puff pastry dough always comes in very handy.
The reason to use pre-made puff pastry dough is simple. First, there are so many good quality kosher brands readily available. Secondly, it saves me 1-2 hours of preparation time. I can use the pre-made dough and have amazing bourekas in less than an hour.
Thus, the reason I call these my Easy Cheesy Bourekas.
My favorite cheese to use is feta cheese. Feta is also the standard de facto cheese. I like the combination of its salty flavor balanced with the crispy, buttery flavor of the pastry shell.
It only takes 15 minutes to thaw the pre-made dough at room temperature. The time is enough to provides pliability to the dough. The brand I use come in (10) 5" x 5" squares which are perfect for making bourekas.
You don't have to limit yourself to only feta cheese. I use an assortment of different cheeses. Some of them include a blend of shredded Italian cheeses, Gruyère and Swiss. Mozzarella doesn't melt as well so I generally pass on it.
Making Easy Cheesy Bourekas
I cut the block of cheese into narrow strips. For shredded cheese, I use a tablespoon of cheese per boureka.
Start by laying out the squares of puff pastry diagonally. Position 1 strip of cheese (or 1 Tbsp) in the center. Fold the pastry over the cheese so that the sides line up. Then using a fork, I "pinch" the two edges to seal the bourekas.
The next step is to beat one egg, and using a pastry brush, coat the tops of each boureka. This helps ensure a golden brown and crispy pastry.
Finally, arrange all the triangles on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake them for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Some of the bourekas will ooze out cheese. Fear not, as these will be some of the best tasting bourekas.
I hope you enjoy these Easy Cheesy Bourekas. They are not only delicious to the palate, but also a pleasure to the eye. Enjoy!
Easy Cheese Bourekas
DESCRIPTION
INGREDIENTS
- 20 oz puff pastry dough (box of (10) 5" x 5" squares)
- 3 oz feta cheese (cut into 2" x ½" x ½" logs or substitute w/1 tablespoon per boureka of your favorite shredded cheese)
- 1 egg (to baste tops)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Remove frozen puff pastry sheets and thaw them at room temperature for about 15 minutes or until you each square is pliable.
- Cut feta cheese into strips or logs that are 2"L x ½"H x ½W".
- Place a 5" x 5" square of puff pastry dough diagonally. Place 1 log of Feta cheese (or 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese of choice) in the middle, then fold over the dough in half so all edges line up. Using a fork, press around the two edges to "pinch" the dough together. Repeat the process for the remaining 9 squares of dough.
- Beat 1 egg and using a pastry brush, fully coat the tops of each boureka to help them turn a golden-brown. Arrange the bourekas on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Some of the bourekas may ooze with cheese. Don't worry, those are usually the best tasting ones.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
NUTRITION
See more pastry recipes here.
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