How to Make Bourekas

Homemade Bourekas

If you've never lived in the Middle East, you've probably never heard of bourekas (or borekas) and you are missing out on a delicious treat. Bourekas are small pastries closely resembling turnovers, that are usually filled with a potato, cheese, mushroom or minced meat filling. This basic recipe uses a potato filling, but experiment with other filling recipes as you become more proficient in making bourekas.

Things You'll Need

• Frozen phyllo or puff pastry dough
• 1 1/3 cups instant mashed potatoes
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup soy milk
• Beaten egg
• Sesame seeds
• Flour
• Sharp knife or pizza cutter
• Pastry brush

Instructions

1. Prepare the instant mashed potatoes as per package directions. Mix together the potatoes, water and soy milk.

2. Thaw sufficient phyllo or puff pastry dough for the amount of filling you have prepared. One tablespoon will fill one boureka.

3. On a lightly floured surface, cut each sheet of dough into 5-by-5-inch squares, or about six squares per sheet.

4. Beat an egg with 2 tsp. of water until foamy and brush over the edges of each pastry square.

5. Drop a heaping tablespoon of potato filling into the center of each square and fold each square into a triangle. Crimp the edges of each pastry with a fork.

6. Brush the tops of the bourekas with the remaining egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees F until the pastries are puffy and golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no limit to the variety of fillings you can use in your bourekas - get creative!

References

• Jewish in St. Louis: Bourekas -- Savory or Sweet Snack; Chanala Rubenfeld