Authentic Armenian Cheese Boureks With A Twist Food

EASY CHEESE BOREK (ARMENIAN CHEESE TURNOVERS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

CHEESE BOUREKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Beat 1 egg in a medium bowl, and mix in the cheese. Season with parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
• On a lightly floured surface, cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6 equal squares to give 12 squares in total. Beat the remaining egg with water in small bowl. Brush edges of each square lightly with egg wash. Place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the center of each square. Fold pastry over the filling, and seal edges with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, brush with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

BOUREK (MEAT FILLED PASTRY)

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the lamb and stir-fry a minute.
• Add the onion, parsley, salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook over medium low heat til lamb is cooked through.
• Take one sheet of phyllo and fold both side to the center length-wise.
• Sprinkle lightly with melted butter.
• Place 2 heaping tablespoons of meat stuffing at one end of the phyllo.
• Press it out til it is about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep.
• Roll the dough over and roll about 3 times.
• Sprinkle a bit more butter on the end and dab with egg to seal.
• Do this with the remaining meat mix and phyllo.
• Bake in a buttered baking dish in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

AUTHENTIC ARMENIAN CHEESE BOUREKS WITH A TWIST

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large blowl, add water and oil. knead together until soft and springs back to the touch. Form into 14 individual balls, pat into round circles. Cover and let this sit while you mix the filling to rest --
• Filling: combine the eggs with the softened cream cheese with the blue cheese, the feta cheese and the ricotta cheese. You can add some parsley for flavor if you wish.
• to make the boureg, flatten out each circle into a 3-4 inch flat circle, place 1 tablespoon of the filling on 1/2 of the circle, fold the circle in half and seal the edges so that its a 1/2 circle, twist a bit to form a crescent shape (moon) -- keep the bouregs about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet, let rest again for about 15 minutes while the oven is warming up.
• Turn oven on at 350 degrees, brush the beaten egg whites on the bouregs to make them flaky as they bake -- place the tray in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Bouregs are delicious when served with a tray of fruit and a cup of tea -- enjoy!
• Tip: If you want to do these in a hurry, you can use bisquick buttery flaky crescent rolls in the refrigerated aisle - just roll each crescent into a ball, smooth out into a 3 to 4 inch circle and use the same filling -- Our favorite fruit to serve with these is sliced sugared strawberries and red grapes.