Lately I’ve been on a hunt to find new and exciting food that’s great for entertaining. If you know me you will recognize the supreme irony of this quest, as I really do no entertaining to speak of (twice in five years…that’s a rounding error). That said, hypothetically, if I were the type of person who had the time, space and…well, really just the time, to have people over for a sophisticated evening of food and drinks, this recipe would be the first thing on my finger-food menu.
These bourekas remind me of an Israeli twist on a mainstay we always had at our parties growing up- stromboli. They were pizza dough stuffed with peppers and onions, or broccoli and cheese, or any number of tasty combinations, and they were an inevitable part of any party spread. They were great hot, at room temperature, or cold from the refrigerator in the middle of the night. And while these bourekas have yet to entertain anyone under my watch, I can attest to their deliciousness hot, room temperature and cold from the refrigerator.
Not only that, but they’re super simple to put together. They make excellent use of one of my favorite things ever, frozen puff pastry. Two sheets of puff pastry are rolled up and inside is a savory mixture of caramelized onions, goat cheese and ricotta, with a speckling of dried apricots, thyme and nutmeg. They are then sprinkled with nigella seeds and baked to golden perfection
The only notes I’d put on this recipe are 1) don’t make the incisions on the top of each roll too deep, they should just be acting as a steam release, and 2) don’t overstuff your rolls unless you want an explosion. If you take that advice and follow the recipe below I think these bourekas are going to find themselves on your menu again, and again, and again.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly and evenly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- One 8-ounce package mild goat cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta
- 4 dried apricots, cut into very small cubes
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
- One 17.3-ounce package puff pastry
- All-purpose flour for the work surface
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Nigella seeds
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter in it. Add half of the onions and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt over them. Add the remaining onions and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Resist the urge to stir the onions during the first 15 minutes of cooking, because leaving them alone will help with the caramelization. Allow the onions to stick to the pan just slightly, then give them a quick stir.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally to prevent the onions from burning. Cook until a deep, rich brown color has developed. Remove from the heat and cool completely. (The onions can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Mix together the goat cheese, ricotta, dried apricots, caramelized onions (about 1 cup), thyme, nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste.
- Unroll one puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Take half of the goat cheese mixture and spread a thick horizontal line across the sheet on the end closest to you. Tightly roll the puff pastry into a large log. Repeat this step with the second sheet. Transfer both rolls to the lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and brush the tops with the egg; sprinkle with the nigella seeds. Divide each roll into five equal pieces by making a 1/4-inch-deep incision using a very sharp knife. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes.
- Remove the bourekas from the oven and cut all the way through the slits of each roll. Wait for the slices to cool a bit before serving.
Notes
Adapted from Balaboosta
