Borekas is one of our family’s most loved snack or appetizer! Whenever my kids visit and if I didn't make them the question is always “what? You didn’t make borekas?”
So what is this much loved appetizer snack called borekas? It is a puff pastry filled with cheese, potato, spinach, meat or practically anything you like!
Every bakery in Israel sells them and you mostly see them filled with feta cheese or mashed seasoned potatoes.
We traditionally made it with cheddar cheese in our home. When we lived in England in the 60s all that was available was mostly cheddar cheese or other hard yellow cheeses. I don't remember ever seeing feta cheese in the stores. My mother would always make them with grated cheddar cheese so I grew up with that flavor. My kids grew up with the same and now my granddaughter is enjoying the same delicious way we make Borekas.
In Israel borekas is also often made with sesame seeds coated on top. My mother never made hers that way so I am accustomed to borekas without them.
You can make your own homemade puff pastry, and I will be adding a recipe for that.
But I am going to tell you how to make these delicious hors d'oeuvres quickly before invited guests arrive with store bought frozen puff pastry and they come out great! Quick to prepare and melt in your mouth good! I always keep a packet in the freezer for any unexpected baking I might need to do.
The best part is you only need 3 ingredients!
Ingredients:
1 packet of frozen puff pastry.
8 oz grated cheddar cheese (it can also be made with feta cheese).
1 egg, beaten.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
There are 2 sheets in the box. Take out of freezer approximately a half hour before preparing or leave in refrigerator overnight to defrost. Pastry should be cold when rolling out and not room temperature.
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Beat egg with a fork and mix into grated cheese in a bowl and set aside. Using a large cookie cutter or as my mother would do, you can use a wide top glass to cut out circles. On a lightly floured workspace roll out each circle to make it approximately 4" in diameter but you can make them any size you like. Don't roll it out too thin as the pastry will tear.
Fill each circle with a teaspoon of cheese mix in the center. Close circle to make a half moon shape and seal edges by pressing down with fingers. Wet fingers a little to help stick the edges together if necessary. Place on the lined cookie sheet and put in pre heated oven for approximately 15 -20 minutes.
Every oven is a little different. Borekas should be slightly light yellow in color when done but not browned. Take out and let cool. That's all there is to it! You will impress everyone with this delicious hors d'oeuvres, I promise!
You will have some cheese mix left over, don't throw it out. Tip: Refrigerate and use it the next day as a topping for a slit open baked potato and put in toaster oven for 10 minutes to brown or add it to an omelette!
Enjoy this fluffy and airy melt in your mouth appetizer snack!