**Cheese Brek: A Delightful Balkan Treat**
Cheese Brek is a delightful Balkan dish consisting of crispy layers of filo pastry filled with a savory mixture of cheese, eggs, and herbs. Originating in Albania, this pastry is a popular street food and a staple at gatherings and celebrations. Its unique flavor and texture have made it a beloved dish throughout the region.
This article presents a collection of Cheese Brek recipes that cater to different tastes and dietary preferences. From traditional Albanian Cheese Brek to variations featuring spinach, zucchini, and even a vegan version, there's a recipe for every cheese lover. Each recipe includes step-by-step instructions, making it easy for home cooks to recreate this Balkan delicacy. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy appetizer, a hearty breakfast, or a satisfying snack, these Cheese Brek recipes are sure to delight your taste buds.
EASY CHEESE BOREK (ARMENIAN CHEESE TURNOVERS)
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 88 kcal, ServingSize 1 borek (made with Trader Joe's puff pastry), Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 3 g, Fat 8 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Cholesterol 27 mg, Sodium 213 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, UnsaturatedFat 1 g
CHEESE BöREK
Found from the Balkans down through Turkey and the Middle East, the börek is a layered, cheese-stuffed pastry made with phyllo-like yufka. Make Boston chef Ana Sortun's version as a satisfying portable snack, light lunch, or dinner side.
Provided by Ana Sortun
Categories side-dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish with 1 teaspoon of the melted butter. Lay a yufka sheet into the baking dish, tucking it into the corners with the edges hanging over the sides. (Don't worry if it's not perfect-yufka is very forgiving.) Whisk eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl; then whisk in milk, yogurt, salt, and remaining melted butter. Pour ¼ cup of this custard over the prepared yufka. Repeat with a second layer of yufka and custard. Note: Yufka will dry out if it's not used right away. Cover with a clean towel if you're going to finish the dish later.
- Break up the mozzarella into bite-size pieces. Reserve ½ cup custard. Distribute ⅓ of the mozzarella over the bottom of the yufka. Fold edges of one of the yufka sheets into the middle, creating a new layer. Add half of the custard and mozzarella, then lay on another sheet of yufka dough. Add the remaining custard and mozzarella, then fold over the edges of the current yufka, followed by the edges of the very first one. Press down with your hand to soak the yufka. Whisk flour into reserved custard and pour over the börek. Using a small knife, score the pastry into squares, like a tic-tac-toe board. Sprinkle with nigella seeds and let rest, 15-20 minutes.
- Place börek in the oven and increase heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until börek is set, golden brown, and puffed on top, 50 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
- When cool, cut into 3" x 3" squares. Place a box grater over a bowl and grate the cut sides of a tomato on the largest holes. Discard the skin. Add pepper, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir and set aside. Heat a skillet over low heat. Place the börek slices, cheese side down, into the heated skillet and lightly brown the cheese, 1 minute. Flip and brown the other side, 1 more minute. Serve with tomato purée on the side.
FETA CHEESE BUREK (PHYLLO DOUGH)
An Eastern European delicacy. Probably one of the most loved foods from the Balkans. There are two ways to create burek: with homemade dough or with phyllo dough (pre-made store-bought). In this recipe we will be using the pre-made phyllo dough. You can put potatoes, meat, spinach, boiled cabbage, or feta cheese inside! This one will be with feta cheese. Truly a tasty meal! And very easy to make! Eat with yogurt for authenticity.
Provided by An Ko
Categories Main Dish Recipes Savory Pie Recipes Vegetarian Pie
Time 1h10m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet lightly.
- Mix feta cheese, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and eggs together in a bowl. Whisk milk and oil together in a small bowl.
- Brush milk-oil mixture over 3 sheets of phyllo dough and stack together. Place some of the cheese mixture in a straight line on one end of the dough. Roll up tightly to form a spiral shape. Transfer spiral to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining milk-oil mixture, phyllo dough, and cheese mixture.
- Bake burek in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 773.7 calories, Carbohydrate 26.5 g, Cholesterol 145.7 mg, Fat 66.2 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 19.4 g, SaturatedFat 23.7 g, Sodium 916.6 mg, Sugar 4 g
Tips:
- To make the brek dough, use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Be sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out. This will help prevent the dough from becoming too sticky.
- When rolling out the dough, use a lightly floured surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
- To make the cheese filling, use a combination of hard and soft cheeses. This will give the filling a variety of flavors and textures.
- Be sure to season the cheese filling with salt, pepper, and other spices to taste.
- When assembling the brek, be sure to brush the edges of the dough with water before sealing it. This will help to prevent the dough from coming apart during baking.
- Bake the brek in a preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the cheese filling is melted and bubbly.
- Let the brek cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Conclusion:
Cheese brek is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a great way to use up leftover cheese and bread, and it can be easily customized to suit your own taste preferences. Whether you like your brek simple or loaded with toppings, it is sure to be a hit with everyone at your table.
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