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Boreks are Turkish pastries consisting of filo sheets stuffed with a variety of sweet and savoury fillings and can take on many different shapes. The most common are found with spinach and feta. I made these using odd leftovers found in the fridge, but the same can be adapted to any veg. The feta, mint and lemon give the more traditional and salty flavour and the ricotta adds to the delicious creaminess.
Makes 6 rolls
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp butter
1 leek, finely sliced
½ brown onion, finely sliced
2 zucchini, cut into 1cm
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp za’atar spice mix
200g baby spinach
200g feta, crumbled
150g ricotta
1 lemon, zested and sliced into wedges
20g fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pack filo pastry sheets
150g butter, melted
Black and white sesame seeds
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Line a 25x30cm baking tray.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat with the olive oil and butter. Add the leek and onion with a good pinch of salt and fry for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
Add the zucchini, garlic and zaatar and cook all together until softened, about 8 minutes.
Finally, add the spinach and saute gently until starting to wilt.
Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool for a few mins. Stir through the lemon zest, mint, ricotta and feta, being careful not to break up the feta too much. Taste and season with salt and pepper before adding the egg.
Melt the butter in a small bowl with a pastry brush. Lay out 1 filo sheet onto a work surface and brush all over with the butter. Lay a second sheet on the top and brush again. While working, keep a damp tea towel covering the rest of the filo pastry as it will dry out.
Spoon the filling carefully along the longest side of the sheet, leaving a 5cm gap from the bottom of the sheet. Carefully wrap the filo up and around the filling and use your fingers to gently press into a sausage shape all the way along the pastry sheet.
Starting from the longest end, roll the pastry over the filling and roll up to form a long sausage shape. Then roll in on itself to form a snail. Arrange in the baking tray and brush the tops once more with butter before sprinkling the sesame seeds over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until risen, crispy and golden all over.
Leave to cool for a few minutes before serving warm with the lemon wedges.
Spoon the filling long the long end of the pastry and roll up to form a snail shape.
