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
CHEESECAKES!!
Cheesecake, of course. Last year, I made homemade blintzes, which were delicious. One of my favorite Shavuot meals is brunch… bagels, lox, etc. Easy and yummy!
blintze souffle and cheescake
Cheesecake and stuffed crust pizza!
Cheese cake icecream.
Manicotti
Lasagna – just cheese or with veggies!!
I like soup, these bourekas look delicious though. I don’t think I have ever had them. I wonder if they are similar to the French perogies?
Penne a la vodka!
Really just anything dairy! All I know is mac and cheese!
Pinned! Woot woot!
Enchiladas
I love making twice baked potatoes
I’m going to try to make a cheddar cheese soup with corn and potatoes.
We are all about the old school- blintzes it is 🙂
I usually make roasted salmon, a creamy pasta dish, a dairy soup such as french onion or mushroom veloute, roasted veggies, a few salads, homemade challah of course and yummy NY style creamy cheesecake – full fat, full cream – none of that low calorie, low fat, low sugar stuff!
Cheesecake!
I love blintz casserole!
cheesecake!
Cheese babka and Quiches !!
mini brownie cheesecakes
repinned – username irbranda.
Strawberry and cheese blintz soufflé- yum!
cheesecake
Quesadillas!
Veggie Lasagne
dairy desserts!
We eat only fleishigs for the meals, but I like making cheesecake for kiddush.
Chocolate pudding pie!
A big Greek salad and a pan of nachos.
Well, it isn’t actually Shavout without cheesecake, but of the meal itself I like a blintz souflae.
Cheesecake!
I love to make cheesecake and mushroom bourekas!
our favorites are 1- baked ziti – put parmesian cheese in with the ricotta and mozzerella mixture and 2 – salmon.
It wouldn’t be Shavuos without cheesecake. I hope to make a cheese babka as well
Traditional New York style cheescake with graham cracker crust and sour cream topping
CHEESECAKE and BOREKAS 🙂
A large frittata and scalloped potatoes with lots of cheese.
Love to make all kinds of cheesecake
Cheesecake and blintzes
I love making baked ziti and different types of fish. The boureka recipe looks really great and I look forward to trying it this Shavuos!!
I love to make fresh salads with yummy cheeses – fried goat cheese, feta… anything!
Mexican Pizza! Yummyy 🙂
I like to make fish.
Blintz souffle
Definitely the cheesecake!
My mom’s cheesecake!! She makes THE BEST!!
Pinned!
Cheese and onion tart. And ice cream 🙂
Cheesecake!