Cheese Bourekas (Israeli Puff Pastry)

Tags: #israeli #baking #pastry #vegetarian Serving: 16 pieces Total time: 70 minutes

Flaky, sesame-topped puff pastry triangles filled with a savory blend of salty cheeses, a beloved Israeli bakery classic.

Ingredients

• 500g puff pastry, cold
• 10g plain flour, for dusting

Filling:

• 200g Bulgarian or feta cheese, crumbled
• 180g ricotta cheese, drained
• 60g kashkaval or low-moisture mozzarella, grated
• 1 large egg (50g), beaten
• 10g cornstarch
• 8g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1g ground black pepper

Finish:

• 1 large egg (50g)
• 15ml water
• 10ml water, for sealing
• 20g sesame seeds
• 5g nigella seeds (optional)

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Drain the ricotta in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes.
4. Whisk 1 egg (50g) until smooth for the filling.
5. Combine the feta, drained ricotta, and kashkaval in a mixing bowl.
6. Stir the beaten egg into the cheese mixture.
7. Add the cornstarch, pepper, and parsley to the bowl.
8. Mix the filling until cohesive.
9. Dust the work surface with 10g flour.
10. Roll the puff pastry to a 40cm x 40cm square.
11. Cut the pastry into sixteen 10cm x 10cm squares.
12. Spoon 20–25g filling onto the center of each square.
13. Brush the edges of each square with 10ml water.
14. Fold each square diagonally to form a triangle.
15. Press the edges firmly to seal.
16. Crimp the edges with a fork.
17. Place the triangles on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 3cm apart.
18. Refrigerate the trays for 20 minutes.
19. Beat 1 egg (50g) with 15ml water to make an egg wash.
20. Brush the tops of the bourekas with the egg wash.
21. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and nigella seeds over the tops.
22. Cut a small 5mm slit on top of each boureka to vent steam.
23. Bake the bourekas until deep golden and puffed, 22–25 minutes.
24. Cool the bourekas on the tray for 5 minutes.
25. Transfer the bourekas to a rack to cool for 10 minutes.