- Course: Antipasto/Mezze, Hors D'oeuvre, Hot Appetizer
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Favorited: 106 Times
Can be made ahead of time.
These small cigar-shaped cheese pastries from Turkey are seen on Middle Eastern menus all over the world. Good with Middle Eastern dishes as part of a meze platter.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Combine the feta, mint, and nutmeg, and season with black pepper.
2. Lay the filo sheets on top of each other and cut into 3 long strips, 4in (10cm) wide.
3. Taking one strip of pastry at a time, brush with butter.
4. Place a heaping teaspoon of the cheese mixture at one end. Roll up the pastry into a cylinder, stopping after rolling one-third to fold over the long sides of the filo to completely enclose the filling, then finish rolling. Make sure the ends are tightly sealed. Transfer to the baking sheet and cover with a damp paper towel. Do not let the pastries touch each other.
5. Lightly brush another baking sheet with the butter. Arrange the pastries on the sheet and brush with the remaining butter. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Serve hot or warm.
Variation:
Spinach Boreks: Substitute the cheese filling for the following mixture: Sautè 2 chopped scallions in 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir in 5oz (140g) baby spinach leaves; cook until wilted. Drain, cool, then chop finely. Mix in ½ cup crumbled feta cheese and 1 tbsp chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare ahead: The pastries can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance of baking.
Nutritional information is based on 24 servings.
cooking123
07.04.11 Flag commentThese are delicious! I made them the day before my party, using the baby spinach, feta and dill. Covered with saran and wax paper in a tupperware container and baked them up just before guests arrived. They were eaten up within minutes. I baked them a few minutes longer than suggested because they had been in the fridge. Having said all this ... the feta and mint variation was, well, disgusting! If you enjoy cheesy spearmint gum then maybe you'd like them ... yuck!