Cheese Burek Recipe Börek Food

SPINACH AND FETA CHEESE BöREK - TURKISH BOREK RECIPE

Steps:

• Cook the filling: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan at medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper. Cook it, tossing it every few minutes using kitchen tongs, until the spinach loses most of its volume, around 5 minutes. Give it a stir and turn the heat off. Let it cool for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Make the yogurt milk mixture: Whisk olive oil, milk, egg, yogurt, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until combined.
• To assemble: Line a baking sheet (mine is 12X17) with parchment paper. In a single layer, place sheets of phyllo dough onto the parchment paper. Use as many sheets as you need to make sure that the pan's whole surface is covered. It is okay if some filo is overhanging on the sides.
• Place another layer of phyllo on top of the first, again making sure that the bottom of the pan is covered. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of the milk mixture on the top layer of dough and brush it over the filo sheets, making sure that it is evenly spread.
• Stack another two layers of phyllo dough on top of the first two. Again, brush the milk mixture over the top phyllo sheet. Then, cover the top sheet with one more layer of phyllo dough-not two. Do not brush the top sheet with the milk mixture again.
• Spread the now-cooled spinach and crumbled feta cheese evenly over the top layer of phyllo sheets.
• Place another two layers of phyllo sheets over the filling, covering it completely. Brush another 3-4 teaspoons of the milk mixture over the topmost sheet. Then, place two final layers of phyllo dough on top of the washed layer, and brush the top with the milk mixture. You should have 9 layers of dough in total.
• If there are sheets overhanging on the side, fold them in towards the pastry's center and make sure that they are brushed with the milk mixture. At this point, the borek should look nicely moist and tightly packed.
• Using a sharp knife, pre-slice borek into 12 equal pieces (please refer to the video for a visual).
• Mix egg yolks in a bowl.
• Brush each slice with egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds and nigella seeds if using.
• Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
• Let it cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve while it is still warm.

FETA CHEESE BUREK (PHYLLO DOUGH)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet lightly.
• Mix feta cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and eggs together in a bowl. Whisk milk and oil together in a small bowl.
• Brush milk-oil mixture over 3 sheets of phyllo dough and stack together. Place some of the cheese mixture in a straight line on one end of the dough. Roll up tightly to form a spiral shape. Transfer spiral to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining milk-oil mixture, phyllo dough, and cheese mixture.
• Bake burek in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes.

CHEESE BUREK RECIPE (BöREK)

Steps:

• Stir crumbled feta cheese and shredded mozzarella into a medium-sized bowl. Add parsley, dill, chives, and Serrano pepper. Mix to combine.
• Add chopped black olives and a beaten egg to bind everything together.
• Place egg roll wrapper on a flat working surface. Add approximately 1-1/2 tablespoons of filling towards the bottom of the wrapper and mold it into a log.
• Dab the corners of the wrapper with water (or a beaten egg) then fold the sides over the filling. Roll the bottom portion of the wrapper over the filling.
• Continue rolling tightly upwards until the Burek is completely sealed.
• Place seal-down on a platter and continue until all the filling is used up.

CHEESE BöREK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the melted butter. Lay a yufka sheet into the baking dish, tucking it into the corners with the edges hanging over the sides. (Don't worry if it's not perfect-yufka is very forgiving.) Whisk eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl; then whisk in milk, yogurt, salt, and remaining melted butter. Pour ¼ cup of this custard over the prepared yufka. Repeat with a second layer of yufka and custard. Note: Yufka will dry out if it's not used right away. Cover with a clean towel if you're going to finish the dish later.
• Break up the mozzarella into bite-size pieces. Reserve ½ cup custard. Distribute ⅓ of the mozzarella over the bottom of the yufka. Fold edges of one of the yufka sheets into the middle, creating a new layer. Add half of the custard and mozzarella, then lay on another sheet of yufka dough. Add the remaining custard and mozzarella, then fold over the edges of the current yufka, followed by the edges of the very first one. Press down with your hand to soak the yufka. Whisk flour into reserved custard and pour over the börek. Using a small knife, score the pastry into squares, like a tic-tac-toe board. Sprinkle with nigella seeds and let rest, 15-20 minutes.
• Place börek in the oven and increase heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until börek is set, golden brown, and puffed on top, 50 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
• When cool, cut into 3" x 3" squares. Place a box grater over a bowl and grate the cut sides of a tomato on the largest holes. Discard the skin. Add pepper, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and set aside. Heat a skillet over low heat. Place the börek slices, cheese side down, into the heated skillet and lightly brown the cheese, 1 minute. Flip and brown the other side, 1 more minute. Serve with tomato purée on the side.

CHEESE BUREK

Steps:

• For the dough, measure the flour and salt into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the water and mix, starting on low speed and then increasing to medium-low, continue to mix for a minute before adding the butter, then mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes more. Wrap the dough in plastic and set on the counter to rest for 2 hours (or the dough can be made and chilled overnight, but let sit on the counter to warm to room temperature).
• For the filling, beat the cottage cheese to break it down a little (it will not be creamy) and stir in the eggs, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle your hands and work surface with a good dusting of cornstarch. Unwrap the dough and coat it with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Slowly start stretching the dough out and dusting with cornstarch when needed (this makes the dough handle very well and feel silky). Keep stretching the dough out to a thin sheet, so thin you could read this recipe through it, and don't worry if there is a small hole or two. Trim the edges of the dough (this can be re-rolled, after resting it) and cut the pastry into 4 or 8 square sheets.
• Brush the entire surface of the pastry squares with butter and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Spoon the cheese filling in a small (1-inch/2.5 cm) line along one side of each square and roll up, stretching out the pastry and filling as you go. Spiral the pastry up and tuck under the end piece. Place the pastries onto the baking tray, brush with eggwash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake the bureks for about 30 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Let the pastries cool for 15 minutes before enjoying, or cool to room temperature.

ALBANIAN BYREK

Steps:

• Prepare the dough with flour, 1 and a half cups of cold water, 1 spoon of oil, 1 spoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of salt, so that the dough may obtain average solidity.
• Press and mix the dough well, then divide in two equally sized pieces. Then divide the pieces into 10-12 ball shaped pieces.
• Spread the balls in well-shaped circles of the size of a plate. Place the circle-shaped dough on top of one another so as to obtain two large pies.
• Cover each pie with melted butter and leave for about half an hour to 1 hour.
• During this time wash a bowl of spinach, dock or sorrel, cut thin, add salt and leave in salt for about 15-20 minutes, then squash.
• Mix the spinach, dock or sorrel with half to 1 cup yogurt and 2-3 eggs.
• You can replace the yogurt with crumbled feta cheese. Cover the baking pan with melted butter.
• Spread one of the dough pies to cover the entire pan and gently pull up the ends, then sprinkle melted butter on it and spread the spinach on it uniformly.
• Spread the second dough pie on top of the spinach.
• Cut the byrek in square slices, sprinkle with melted butter and place in a hot oven until cooked.
• Byrek is served hot accompanied with yogurt.

" BUREK" OR FETA CHEESE PHYLLO PIE

Steps:

• FIRST - Let me explain the Feta. We have an Italian Market that sells fresh fruits and veggies etc. and they have a fresh cheese section. I always buy a block of French Feta Cheese. I use half for this recipe and the rest for omelets etc. You can use the prepacked Feta but if you want the full experience you'll need a lot. Also, you may use other variety of Feta (there's Hungarian, Bulgarian even a salt free one) The French is very salty which is why I add cottage cheese. It kind of balances out the saltiness abit. YOU JUST NEED 1 PACKAGE OF PHYLLO. Mine says 32 oz, buy the long box not the country (it's too thick).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In large mixing bowl beat eggs, add 2 cups milk and mix well. Take your block of Feta and cut in half. Use one 1/2 and refrigerate the other. Crumble the Feta into the egg mix and add cottage cheese. Make sure you have nice chunks. Mix well, the mixture should be thick and very lumpy. If too thick add more milk (hence the extra milk).
• Take a large deep baking dish. Sprinkle oil on bottom only (dip your spoon into oil, take out and just drizzle slightly). Lay one sheet phyllo and drizzle with oil, continue until you have 4 sheets. When you add the last sheet place your hand flat on the phyllo sheets and GENTLY gather, without tearing by pulling the sides slightly toward center. (It should resemble a crumpled bed) :).
• Use 1 full Ladle of the egg/feta mixture onto the layer, you don't need to cover all the phyllo (TRUST ME) just don't leave the feta in one spot distribute.
• Layer another phyllo sheet and sprinkle with oil. Layer another sheet of phyllo and again crumple the center then sprinkle the oil (just a little). One Ladle of the egg/feta mix. Continue in this pattern (Don't forget to gather the center each time). If you see that you have alot of the egg/feta mix left you can start to add more than the 1 ladle. Your last layer should be 3-4 layers of phyllo. Don't sprinkle with oil yet. Take a soup spoon and with the handle, tuck in the sides. Now sprinkle with oil.
• Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is puffed and nicely browned.
• Your kitchen with smell wonderful. The Burek will puff high off the top of the pan but once cooled will drop. You must cool completely or you will nto be able to cut with out it falling apart.
• It's moist and a bit salty and goes great with a nice cold beer! You can serve as main meal with salad or as appetizer (cut into small squares).

BOREK WITH CHEESE & SPINACH

Steps:

• Defrost spinach and squeeze all liquid out.
• Put cheeses, onion, eggs, cumin, nutmeg, and pepper in the food processor. Pulse till well mixed.
• Add spinach and pulse a few times.
• Cut puff pastry into 5x5 squares for a large breakfast or meal-size serving. For appetizer or snack, cut puff pastry into.
• 2 1/2x5 inch strips.
• Fill each square with approximately 2 tbsp filling in the middle. Fold pastry over to create a triangle. Pinch sides very well with your fingers, so that filling won't escape. For the smaller strips, use 1-2 tsp filling on bottom half of strip and fold strip over to make a square. Seal well.
• Brush each one with milk and sprinkle sesame.
• seeds over.
• Bake approximately 20 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet, or until browned & puffed up.
• Cool 5 minutes before serving.