Potato Boreks Borekas Tapukhay Adama Food

TURKISH BOREK RECIPE

Steps:

• Make spinach filling. Combine the spinach, onion, spices, and herbs in sauce pan and cook for 5 minutes, just long enough to warm and combine ingredients. Let cool and drain excess liquid.
• Make egg wash for pastry. Beat eggs and add in sunflower oil and yougurt. Set aside.
• Decide on layering technique, and start layering your yufka or pastry dough, brushed with egg mxture, then spinach.
• Brush the remainder of egg wash on top and sides of borek, and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes, until browned.
• Remove from oven and serve warm.

POTATO CHEESE BOUREKAS

Steps:

• For the potato part of this filling, you can bake a potato, use a leftover baked potato, or use leftover mashed potatoes. If you're baking a potato, place a rack on the lowest part of the oven and another rack in the middle of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven (line with aluminum foil for easier cleanup). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scrub the potato clean and pat them dry. Stab a few slits on both sides of the potato with a sharp steak knife. (Note that there are two potatoes in these pictures, but you will only need one.)
• Hold the potato over a mixing bowl and rub it with extra virgin olive oil, then coat lightly with kosher salt.Place the potato directly on the middle rack above the baking sheet. Let the potato bake for 60-70 minutes till soft inside.Squeeze the potato after baking to test for doneness-- it should give when you apply pressure. Remove potato from the oven and let it stand uncovered till cool.Peel the potato with your fingers, then mash it. You should end up with about 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you can use a leftover baked potato for this step (of the correct size). You can also use leftover mashed potatoes (make sure they're dairy or pareve if you're keeping kosher). You'll need about a cup of cold or room temperature mashed potatoes total, no matter which of these methods you choose.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine mashed potato, feta, kashkaval, egg, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper (if using all feta cheese or pre-seasoned mashed potatoes, no need to add any salt). Use a fork to mix ingredients together till well blended. Make sure to break up any large crumbles of feta with the fork. Reserve mixture.On a smooth, clean, lightly floured surface, unfold one of your puff pastry sheets. Use a rolling pin to roll out the sheet to a 12x12 inch square. If using homemade puff pastry, roll your dough out to the same size - a 12"x12" square. Cut the sheet of puff pastry dough into 9 equal-sized squares, each about 4"x4" large.Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the potato cheese filling on one corner of each square, spreading it out into a triangle shape 1/4 inch from the edge to halfway across the square. The filling will create a diagonal triangle inside the square.
• Fold the dough square by grasping the opposite corner and folding it up and over the filling to make a triangle. Pinch firmly along the outer open edge of the triangle to seal.You can also crimp the edges with the tines of a fork, if you wish.Repeat this process for the remaining squares, then for the second sheet of puff pastry-roll out the pastry, cut into squares, add filling, and seal the triangles.
• Spray your baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Place 9 bourekas on each sheet, evenly spaced, giving them a little room to expand during baking.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 2 tsp of cool water. Use a pastry brush to brush a light layer of the egg wash onto the surface of each boureka. Sprinkle the bourekas with sesame or poppy seeds, if desired.
• Bake the bourekas for about 35 minutes, switching the baking sheets between the upper and lower racks halfway through cooking. Bake till golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve warm. Store in a sealed container or plastic zipper bag.To freeze bourekas: prepare, fill, and seal the pastries. Do not coat with egg wash or bake. Place the unbaked pastries in a Tupperware or plastic bag in single layers, separating each layer of bourekas with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to keep them from freezing together. Freeze.When ready to bake, take the bourekas out of the freezer (no need to defrost) and arrange them on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick oil. Coat with thin layer of egg wash and sesame or poppy seeds, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes till golden brown, crisp and flaky.

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.

SEPHARDIC HUEVOS HAMINADOS (EGGS)

Steps:

• Place eggs in pot or saucepan of water together with plenty of onion skins and coffee. The type of onions does not matter (Vidalia, yellow, etc.). Add the oil. Bring to a boil and allow to boil rapidly for at least five minutes.
• Lower to a simmer and leave uncovered for at least four hours or overnight. Don't worry about overcooking them. Remove eggs from pot and place in a bowl of ice water.
• Remove the eggs and wipe them clean. Serve plain, hot, warm, or cold. Leftover eggs are easy to reheat. They are also wonderful sliced in salads (they make a terrific egg salad) or as a garnish for saucy stewed vegetables, like ratatouille.
• NOTES: You can also do this in the crockpot or oven. CROCKPOT: Save the papery outer layers from onions, or get them from the grocery store. Put onion papers in the crock, and put whole eggs in the shell in a single layer (may work with more than one layer if you have enough onion skins). Layer more onion papers between the eggs and on top of the eggs. Add water, filling the crock to 2/3 or more. Add a few glugs of olive oil. Cook on low for 4 to 10 hours. The eggs will be colored brown from shell to yolk and have a delicious taste. They're excellent plain or in egg salad, etc. OVEN: Oven method: Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Put everything into 2-quart ovenproof casserole. Cover tightly. Put casserole in oven and allow undisturbed cooking for at least 12 hours.

POTATO BOREKS - BOREKAS TAPUKHAY ADAMA

Steps:

• Place eggs in a pot and add oil, salt, pepper, onion peels and coffee grounds, if using, in water to cover. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. (The eggs will be ready in one hour but most cooks leave them on very low heat overnight.).
• Fry the onion in the oil until lightly golden. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper to taste, add the onions and cheese if you're using it, and mix well. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll the puff pastry quite thinly, about 1/4" or less, and cut into 6 equal squares.
• Divide the filling into 6 parts. Place one portion in the middle of a square and fold into a triangle. Press hard on the sides to seal well and brush with the egg yolk. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Sprinkle the borekas with sesame seeds.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Check the bottoms to see if they are done they should be brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with haminados eggs.
• NOTES: These cannot be refrigerated, but can be frozen, preferably before baking.

POTATO BOREK

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour a 13 X 9 inch baking dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the sunflower oil, yogurt, and eggs. Add the vegetables and spices. Slowly add the flour and mix until combined. Spread in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top browns. Remove from oven and serve warm for breakfast, as a snack or as a side dish.

ISRAELI POTATO BOUREKAS (PAREVE)

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a saucepan or stockpot with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Cook uncovered until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Pass through a potato ricer or mash with a potato masher or wire whisk. Set aside to cool.
• If adding the onion and garlic, warm the oil (or melt the margarine or butter) in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir the mixture into the potatoes.
• If you're not using the onions and garlic, simply add the olive oil, margarine, or butter to the potatoes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, beat one of the eggs . While stirring the cool potato mixture, slowly add the beaten egg. Mix well until the egg is totally integrated into the mashed potatoes.
• Heat the oven to 375 F / 190 C. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper . Fill a small bowl with water. If using puff pastry sheets, cut them into 5-inch squares.
• Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Dip your fingers in the water and dampen the edges of the squares, then fold in half diagonally or vertically to form triangular or rectangular pastries. Pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside.
• Beat the second egg and brush it over the tops of the bourekas. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the bourekas are puffed and golden.
• Serve warm and enjoy.

CHEESE POTATO BOREKAS

Steps:

• Beat the flour and margarine together, using a hand-held or upright mixer.
• Add the water, oil and salt and continue beating until well combined.
• By hand, blend in any flour still remaining at the bottom of the mixing bowl.
• Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
• Combine the filling ingredients, using a hand-held or upright mixer.
• Take the dough out of the refrigerator.
• Separate into 24 equal portions.
• Pat each portion of the dough into a circle approximately 4 inches in diameter and dust with flour.
• Place a scant tablespoon of filling on on side of each circle.
• Fold the unfilled portion over the filling.
• Transfer borekas onto a non-stick baking sheet.
• Crimp the edges with a fork.
• Using a pastry brush,"paint" the top of each boreka with egg wash.
• Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 35 minutes.