Cheese Borags Armenia Food

BORAGS

Steps:

• Take the dough out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before using. Once fillo dough is exposed to air, it dries out very quickly, becomes brittle, and is impossible to use. Be sure to have plastic wrap and a damp towel ready to cover the dough to keep it pliable while you fold the borags.
• If using large fillo sheets, cut the fillo dough in half, lengthwise. Use one half sheet for each borag. Cover the other sheets first with plastic wrap, then the damp towel, while folding each borag.
• Fold each half sheet in half lengthwise. Brush surface with melted butter.
• For each borag, place a spoonful of filling at the end of the folded dough that's closest to you. Begin folding, as though you were folding a flag - on the diagonal from corner to corner, creating a triangular shape. If there is extra dough at the top, just trim it off or tuck it under.
• Continue to do this until you run out of filling - or dough.
• Keep the folded borags covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• Melt about ½ stick (or more) of unsalted butter.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Brush the top of each borag with melted butter.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Return leftover fillo it to its original wrapper, seal it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Leftover cheese filling can be spread on bread then heated under the broiler. There's raw egg in the mixture, so cook before eating!
• Use the same cheese filling as above.
• Instead of using regular fillo dough sheets, use prepared mini-fillo cups (sold in packages of 15). They can be found in the freezer section of most grocery stores.
• Fill each cup almost to the top with the filling. The amount of cheese filling given in this recipe will fill about 3 boxes of the mini-fillo cups - or - about 45.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 - 12 minutes.

BOEREGS (FLAKY ARMENIAN PUFF PASTRY) AS MADE BY BLAKE BESHARIAN RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the herbed feta filling: Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and cumin and stir to combine, then remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
• In a food processor, combine the spinach, parsley, rodopa cheese, egg, and the cooled onion mixture and pulse until broken down into a chunky paste. Transfer the filling to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor.
• Make the melted Kashkaval filling: Add the parsley, chives, egg, and Kashkaval cheese to the clean food processor and pulse until the mixture breaks down into a chunky paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets, or as many as you have, with parchment paper.
• Assemble the boeregs: Unroll the filo dough and cut crosswise into 3½-inch (9 cm) wide strips. Cover the filo dough with a damp towel while you fill the boeregs.
• Lay a strip of dough lengthwise on a cutting board. Holding the top of the dough with your left index finger, brush a thin layer of melted butter over the length of the dough. Scoop ½ tablespoon of filling at the top center of the strip, about ½ inch (1 ¼ cm) from the top. Fold the top left corner of the dough over the filling to make a triangle. Brush more melted butter on the top of the triangle, then continue folding and brushing until you reach the end of the dough strip, trimming any excess dough that doesn't fold all the way over. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough strips and filling to make about 24 boereg with each filling. Reserve any leftover dough for another use.
• In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the water.
• Brush the egg wash over the boeregs, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Bake the boeregs for 10-12 minutes, until golden, flaky, and crisp. Serve warm.
• Enjoy!

CHEESE BORAGS (ARMENIA)

Steps:

• Mix the three cheeses with the egg. Set aside.
• Cover the phyllo dough with a piece of plastic wrap, then put a damp towel over the plastic wrap. This helps prevent drying.
• Take one sheet of Phyllo and fold it in half. Brush the folded sheet with melted butter.
• Put a spoonful of the filling onto the lower right corner of the sheet.
• Now fold the sheet over the filling, from corner to corner, as if you were folding a flag. You should have a triangle. Fold again, and one more time. Trim off any excess dough.
• Repeat until you have used all the filling.
• Brush the top of each borag with melted butter, then bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the borags turn a golden brown color. Serve hot.

PUKACAPAS - SPICY CHEESE EMPANADAS (BOLIVIA)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and put everything except for the cheese into the hot oil. Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Then take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese.
• While the filling is cooking, make the dough. Blend all the dry ingredients with the butter, then add the milk and eggs. Blend until you get a smooth dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough until it is pretty thin and cut into circular shapes.
• To assemble, drop the filling into the middle of one of the dough rounds, leaving enough space to join the two pieces of dough. Cover the filling with another piece of dough, then moisten the edges a little with water and pinch together.
• Cut small slits in the top of each pastry to vent.
• Beat the egg and use it to brush the tops of the pukacapas. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden.

CHICKEN HERRISEH (ARMENIA)

Steps:

• Boil the chicken in 8 cups of water for about an hour and 45 minutes. Leave the lid on your pot but tilt it slightly so that not a whole lot of steam can escape.
• Remove the chicken to a plate and let cool. Do not discard the broth.
• Shred the chicken and set aside.
• Strain the broth into a measuring cup to determine how much you have left. Then add water to the broth to bring the amount back up to 8 cups.
• Put the broth in a large pot and add the wheat berries, the shredded chicken, and salt to taste.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer covered for four to six hours, or until the wheat berries are soft. Don't be tempted to stir the pot.
• Smash the wheat berries and chicken with a potato masher. The finished mixture should look like oatmeal. If it doesn't, you didn't cook it long enough.
• Serve in bowls with a pat of butter and some cumin and paprika sprinkled on top.