Borek Algerian Food

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.

BOREK ALGERIAN

Steps:

• Gently saute the onion for around 5 minutes until soft.
• Add the beef mince and brown.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon, salt and pepper, and the chopped parsley and stir well.
• On a gentle heat add the beaten egg taking care not to let it scramble.
• Let this mixture cool or the pastry will disintegrate.
• Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of beef mixture about 1.5 inches from the bottom of the phyllo pastry sheets (feuille de brik) leaving approximately one inch either side.
• Cut the cheese in half and lay across the mixture.
• Pull the phyllo (brik) up from the bottom; fold the sides to the centre of section and continue to roll.
• Place the Boreks (fold side down) in a frying pan with vegetable oil.
• Fry on both sides until golden.

BOREKS (TURKISH PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Crumble the feta cheese, then mix feta with the chives (or dill), parsley, and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Skim off any foam that accumulates.
• Cut the phyllo pastry sheets into 3-inch strips. Take one strip and cover the rest with a clean, damp cloth.
• Brush the first phyllo strip with melted butter, and place a teaspoon of feta/herb mixture on the bottom right corner of the phyllo sheet, about 1/4-inch from the edge.
• Pick up the bottom right corner of the phyllo sheet and fold it up and over the feta/herb mixture so the corner reaches the top edge of the phyllo sheet and forms a triangle. Keep folding the pastry over itself, being careful that the filling remains intact, until you reach the end of the phyllo sheet and have a triangle shaped pastry.
• Repeat steps #5 and #6, using remaining phyllo sheets and feta/herb mixture.
• Lay pastries on a baking sheet, and brush with remaining melted butter. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

BOREKS (TURKISH APPETIZERS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, blend the feta and mozzarella cheese with the beaten eggs. Add the chopped herbs, season with pepper and nutmeg and stir well to mix.
• Cut the sheets of pastry into four rectangular strips approximately 3 inches wide. Cover all but one or two strips with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
• Brush on strip of pastry at a time with a little melted butter. Place 1 teaspoon filling at the bottom edge. Fold one corner over the filling to make a triangle shape. Continue folding the pastry over itself until you get to the end of the strip. Keep making triangles until all the mixture is used up.
• Place the boreks on a greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

ALGERIAN CHICKEN & PRESERVED LEMON BOUREK

Steps:

• In a medium sized casserole, heat the olive oil & gently fry the onion until pale golden. Add the chicken & fry for 15-20 minutes on a medium heat.
• Add your ras el hanout & the Season All, mix well & cook for a few minutes.
• Wash the preserved lemon really well (make sure to discard the flesh), then chop it very finely & add to the casserole. Cook for a few more minutes.
• Remove the casserole from the heat, add the coriander (cilantro) & allow to cool. Mix in the chopped eggs & re-season if required.
• Once the filling is cooled completely, you are ready to assemble the bourek.
• Make your flour paste by putting the flour in a bowl & gradually adding the water until you have a very runny paste - a bit like crepe batter.
• Lay 1 spring roll sheet on your work surface & place 2 generous teaspoonfulls of the filling onto the sheet. You need to place it in a line approx 1" up from the bottom of the sheet & the line of filling should have a fraction over 1" of spring roll sheet visable on both the left & right side.
• Next bring the left side of the sheet over the filling - it will overlap the filling by about an inch. Do the same with the right side.
• Take the bottom of the sheet in both hands & pull it up so that it covers the line of filling.
• With a pastry brush or the back of a teaspoon, brush a small amount of the flour paste along the edges of the sheet.
• Now start to roll the bourek, be careful to keep it tight & even. When you have rolled it up securely, you can brush a tiny amount of the paste along the seam so that the bourek stays closed whilst it is being fried.
• Repeat these steps with the remaining 35 spring roll sheets.
• Now you can either freeze the bourek or fry them in hot oil (I like to deep fry at approx 165-170c) in batches, until a deep golden colour & very crispy!