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
Recipe pinned 🙂
cheese blintzes
I just made my first cheesecake and I’m now I’m disappointed we’re going away for Shavuos because I can’t make it again! Usually we do a pizza party for lunch one day, which is one of my favorite shavuos things 🙂
Also pinned!
The Perfect Bourekas!
Cheese danishes or cheese babka
I like cheesecake
fetticinu alfredo
Lasagna and no-bake cheesecake. In fact, i prefer it over the baked kind (strange, I know)!
Thanks for a great giveaway.
Pinned – thanks.
Quiche – mushroom, onion, tomato – yummy in my tummy!
Lox, eggs & onions!
I enjoy making salmon teriyaki for Shavuot. So easy-4 ingredients- and do yummy!
Cheese Blintzes!!
Would love something ‘New’ & different to mke.
French onion soup in sourdough bowls and spinach artichoke dip
I pinned the recipe and can’t wait to try it
Vegan (tofutti) cheesecake. Lots of salads.
Dairy kugel with sour cream and cottage cheese — and bourekas!
I pinned it! http://pinterest.com/pin/107171666105322891/
For dinner, I love to make eggplant roll-ups, stuffed with garlicky cheese, gazpacho, mushroom or broccoli quiche, and Italian (made with ricotta) or Shtetl (made with farmer cheese) cheesecake . For lunch/brunch shtetl salad (chopped radishes, scallions, and dill in a garlicky yogurt dressing) is a must.
Sorry if this post is too long.
i love to make morrocan tilapia and mejedra
I love Greek salad and French onion soup!
I like to make brownie cheesecake as a Shavuos treat for my family.
Mmmm….Bourekas….
I love to make french onion soup and fettuccine alfredo
broccoli-lasagna roll-ups
there’s a ganache ice cream I’ve been dying to try making…
Individual mini cheesecakes with all different types of toppings.
love to make my mother-in-laws milchig noodle kugle!!!
Just learning the ways of my heritage, I can make chicken soup for sure! would love to learn more.
I am so excited to try and make GLUTEN FREE EGGPLANT PARMESAN!! I also love making cheesecake or just eating it!
I love to make cheesecake
Pinned!
I’m planning on making different chocolate balls, and for dinner, maybe a salmon risotto.
I forgot to say that I love to make my famous chocolate chip tiramisu cheesecake for Shavout!!!!
I love making dairy strawberry soup for Shavuot!
There’s a Penne Rose Pasta recipe I found a few years back that is decadent and delicious and gets finished down to the very last drop — I love saving it for a Shavuos meal!!!!
I love to make chocolate cheesecake!
Cheesecake!
Mac and cheese
pinned!
We’re vegetarian so many meals are dairy for us.. Love to do Quiches of varying complex varieties, a curried kale and potato “lasagna,” and a rice and vegetable pilaf that my husband terms “rice with crack.” Oh and since I do cheesecake for Pesach, I do a chocolate peanut butter pudding pie with peanut buttered cool whip for Shavuot dessert. SO amazing and can be done sugar free without compromising taste if needed for a diabetic friend.
YUM!! could you send me your recipes?! or where you got them – sounds amazing!!!
Greek Salad and french onion soup w cheese
Cheese blintzes
Homemade Mac and cheese!
Homemade pizzas with feta and pesto sauce
Cheesecake is our favorite
I would make baked ziti, mixing eggs and ricotta cheese into the tomato sauce and tossing in capers and sauteed mushrooms.
mushroom quiche
i love making ice cream pie and stuffed shells