This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners: Lori A., Teri G., and Betty P.
I love dairy. And I love carbs.
And oh my goodness, I love dairy and carbs together.
Which is why when I lived in Israel, my absolute favorite indulgence was a cheese bourekas from Angel Bakery.
It’s been five years since I lived in Israel – and I have yet to experience that same deliciousness. But this recipe, from the new cookbook, Jewish Traditional Cooking by Ruth Joseph, looks like it might just do the trick.
And wouldn’t it be perfect for Shavuot?!
The Perfect Bourekas
Makes about 40 bourekas
Ingredients
2 16-oz packs of phyllo dough
2–3 tablespoons olive oil, for brushing
1 egg, to glaze
sesame or poppy seeds, to sprinkle
For the cheese filling
4 oz (1 cup) soft white cheese, such as ricotta, mozzarella, or feta
8 oz stronger cheese, such as Gouda or pecorino
1 large egg
2 tablespoons natural yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the potato filling
1 cup mashed potato
1⁄2 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsely, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the spinach filling
2 lb spinach
2 eggs
11⁄2 cups Emmental, Gouda, or mozzarella, grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
finely grated nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Ensure that the dough is defrosted and ready to use.
First prepare the fillings. Grate or chop the cheeses for the cheese filling and combine with the egg, yogurt, and seasoning in a bowl. Set aside. Season the mashed potato with the herbs and salt and pepper, and set aside. To make the spinach filling, wash the spinach and wilt in a large pan over medium heat. Drain in a colander and squeeze out all the moisture with the back of a spoon.
Leave to cool. Roughly chop the spinach, and combine with the eggs and cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg.
To assemble the bourekas, remove two sheets of phyllo dough from the stack and cover the rest with a damp cloth to stop them drying out. Place the sheets of dough on top of each other, cut into strips 6 inches wide and brush with olive oil. Place a tablespoon of filling in one corner, fold over the corner at an angle to form a triangle, and then wrap up tightly to form a neat little triangular parcel. Repeat with the rest of the dough and fillings.
Place the filled bourekas on your prepared baking sheets, glaze on both sides with beaten egg, and sprinkle generously all over with sesame or poppy seeds. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until golden brown.
Variations
Include slivers of brie instead of soft white cheese, or some chopped nuts or roasted peppers for extra flavor. To liven up the potato filling, add a handful of chopped olives, a tablespoon of pesto sauce, or some sliced and cooked mushroom.
If you’d like to see more recipes like these, you’re in luck! I am giving away three copies of Jewish Traditional Cooking: Over 150 Nostalgic & Contemporary Recipes (retail value: $29.95).
Here’s how to enter this giveaway:
Required Entry: Leave a comment on this post with the dish you most like to cook for Shavuot (For eg., I like to make eggplant parmesan — and bourekas!) This is a required entry form, so make sure you do this first.
Optional Entry: Pin or repin this recipe on Pinterest — then let me know you have done so by leaving a separate comment.
This giveaway will be open until Wednesday, May 1st at 11:59 p.m. CST. The winners must be at least 18 years of age and live in the United States (sorry, folks!). They will be selected randomly and notified by email immediately. Good luck!
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the Jewish Traditional Cooking cookbook. The publisher will provide each of the three winners with their copy as well. I was not compensated in any other way to host this giveaway.
Photo Courtesy of the Jewish Traditional Cooking
cheesecake!
My daughter decided we should try to make fresh pasta this year for Shavuot, wish us luck!
love to make my own pizza, borekas, sambusak, baked ziti, spinach pie, salmon, cheesecake and rice pudding.
I love to make cheese-stuffed French toast with syrup. Yummy!
cheese blintzes! once you have homemade you can’t go back 😉
I try to make homemade rugeluch every year. Very time consuming and fattening, but sooo delish!!
Blintz loaf, the recipe is in the Spice and Spirit cookbook It tastes just like a blintz but so much easier to make!
white chocolate cheese cake. it’s as indulgent and delicious as it sounds
I pinned it! I’d LOVE to win this cookbook.
I would love to make the knishes or the white chocolate cheesecake!!!!
My fav recipe to make (and eat!) is chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake! sooo yum!
That sounds so good!! Could you post the recipe?
i LOVE Borekas, especially from Angels!! I make blintze souffle and fake crab cakes for Shavuot…
I really like your website and posts. Its all about my wife and she loves cheese bourekas.
Ice cream sundaes!
my husband makes a mean cheesecake!
Greek Salad, for Shavuot, and everyday!
Breakfast for lunch or dinner
I love to make penne ala vodka and cheese babka!
Breakfast for lunch or dinner!
I make strawberry shortcake and cheesecake.
We’re a cheesecake family. Although we won’t say no to bourekas!
This has been repinned on pinterest
I like to make cheese blintzes from scratch.
quiche, lots of veggies and cheese, mmm
Tuna and cheese quiche and chocolate cheesecake-yum!
I make a 3 layer cheesecake – vanilla, chocolate and coffee- it is heavenly!!
Spinach baked ziti and tiramisu for dessert! Delicious food for a great holiday.
My favorite recipe for Shavuos is “zucchini pie”. It’s a souffle of sliced and grated zucchini, 2 kinds of cheeses, bisquick (I use the Low-Fat kind), eggs, oil and spices. Served hot or warm…but we also eat the leftovers (if there are any left) at room temp or right out of the fridge!
Fettucinie Alfredo with garlic cheese bread!
Our yearly go-to Shavuos meal is french onion soup, salmon teriyaki, and fettuccine alfredo.
I repinned the link 🙂 thank you for the chance to win!
One of my most popular and most requested Shavous dishe is Sea Food Enchiladas made with fake crab and lots of other goodies oh yummy! Now you got me going the next is Chili Rellenos the real ones! I really could go on but………….! I would love to try these beautiful Cheese and Potato Perfect Bourekas wouldn’t they make a great addition to my Shavous menu!!
I “Pinned” the Bourekas! Would have done even without contest!
Chocolate chip cheesecake squares!
Chunky broccoli cheese soup ! It’s so delicious and such a hit!! Mmm my mouth is watering just thinking about it ! (Note: I invited my sisters to spend Shavuot with us. Her response: only if you make your broccoli cheese soup!) 😉
Pinned the recipe!
Every year I try new things what stays the same are the cheesecakes . I make a few different kinds but my favorite is a decadent white chocolate one serves with a warm white chocolate sauce.
So many things…cheesy spinach bake, for one. And I see I’m not alone!
My husband cannot tolerate cheese and we got married the day after Shavuos, so I make duck to celebrate!
my favorite part of Shavuous, cheesecake!
Cheesecake, of course! Also lasagna, or anything milchig. It’s so nice not to just have fleishig meals over chag.
Pinned it!
Cheesecake, peach ice cream, and almost always for Shavuos – sweet and sour fish!
Cheesecake brownies!
Cheesecake and iced coffee
cheese cake and lasagna – the best
i love to make my mom’s regal cheesecake…so gooooooooood!
pinned!
repinned
Cheesecake…of course 🙂