Turkish Bourekas (Turnovers)
Savory turnovers (bourekas) are popular in Israel for their versatility. You can stuff the dough with any combination of your favorite vegetables or cheese. These are vegetarian, but bourekas also could be stuffed with ground meat or chicken.
Makes about 30
Pastry dough:
1⁄2 cup lukewarm water
1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
3⁄4 teaspoon table salt or 1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1⁄2 cups flour
Fillings (see recipes below):
Mashed potatoes
Eggplant-tomato
Pumpkin-cheese
Eggwash: 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Sesame seeds for garnish
Make pastry: Combine water, oil and salt in a bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour. Gradually stir in enough of the remaining 1 1⁄2 cups flour to make a soft and pliable dough. When stirred, dough should come away from the sides of the bowl. Wrap dough completely in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. It won’t rise much, but after 30 minutes should be soft, easy to use, and not too sticky.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Divide dough into 1-inch balls. Place on a baking sheet and press flat.
Make the filling of your choice. Fill each pastry circle with a spoonful of filling in the center. Fold in half to create turnover and seal edges with tines of a fork. For a shiny top, brush with eggwash. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: If desired, you can also roll out the dough with a rolling pin and cut out circles with a cookie cutter.
Turkish eggplant and tomato filling:
1 eggplant
1 tablespoon kosher salt plus salt to taste (divided)
1⁄4 cup olive oil
2 1⁄2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 to 3 tomatoes, chopped
1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro
Ground black pepper
Cut eggplant into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Place in a colander and add the 1 tablespoon salt. Wait a half hour, then wash off the salt and squeeze out the liquid.
Sauté garlic in olive oil until light brown. Add eggplant and tomato, season with salt, and cook until liquid evaporates. Add cilantro and pepper.
Potato filling:
1⁄2 pound potatoes
1 medium onion
Olive oil
1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) butter
2 eggs, beaten
Peel and cut potatoes into large chunks and place in pot with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and boil until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, sauté onions in olive oil until golden.
When potatoes are ready, drain and mash with butter and add onions. Allow to cool. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in eggs.
Pumpkin-cheese filling:
1 can (15 ounces) pureed pumpkin
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
Mix all ingredients together. Season to taste. Add eggs.