Cheese Bourekas
These golden, flaky puff pastry pockets filled with a rich and savory cheese blend make an irresistible Mediterranean treat.
Ingredients
- •1 sheet puff pastry (about 400g), thawed if frozen
- •1 cup feta cheese (200g), crumbled
- •1 cup low-moisture mozzarella cheese (100g), shredded
- •1/2 cup ricotta cheese (100g)
- •1 large egg (plus 1 more for egg wash)
- •1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- •1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- •2 tablespoons sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled feta, shredded mozzarella, ricotta, 1 large egg, flour, and black pepper. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- 3
Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut it into even squares, about 4x4 inches each.
- 4
Spoon a generous tablespoon of the cheese filling into the center of each square.
- 5
Fold the pastry diagonally over the filling to create a triangle, or fold it into a rectangle, and press the edges firmly with the tines of a fork to seal.
- 6
Transfer the bourekas to the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
- 7
Whisk the second egg in a small bowl and brush the top of each bourekas generously with the egg wash.
- 8
Sprinkle sesame seeds generously over the top of each pastry.
- 9
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, deeply golden brown, and crisp.
- 10
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving warm.
💡 Chef tips
- Keep your puff pastry chilled in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble, as warm pastry is difficult to work with and won't puff as well.
- You can assemble the bourekas ahead of time, place them on the baking sheet, and freeze them raw; bake straight from frozen, just adding 5 more minutes to the cooking time.
- Store leftover baked bourekas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat them in a toaster oven to restore their crispiness.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished bourekas should feature shatteringly crisp, golden-brown layers of puff pastry encasing a warm, gooey, and savory melted cheese filling that smells wonderfully buttery and rich.