Cheese Bourekas from Uri Scheft

Yield: 8 bourekas

135 grams cream cheese at room temperature (1/3 cup) 80 grams feta cheese (½ cup, crumbled)

70 grams sour cream (4.5 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp.)

2 eggs

25 grams flour (3 level Tbsp.), plus more for flouring 500 grams thawed, rolled puff pastry (1 package)

1 tsp. water

Pinch salt

50 grams sesame seeds (5 Tbsp.)

50 grams nigella seeds (ketzach in Hebrew; 5 Tbsp.)

Whisk the cream cheese and feta cheese in a bowl to obtain a uniform mass.

Add the sour cream, one egg, and flour; whisk to mix well. Place the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to form a square 20 x 40 cm., about ½ cm. high (8” x 16”, ¼” high).

Use the edge of a knife to shape the pastry into an exact square.

Cut 8 equal squares of 10 x 10 cm. (4” x 4”)

In a small bowl, mix the second egg with the water and salt – this will be the glaze.

Place 3 Tbsp. of the cheese mix on the center of each puff pastry square.

Fold the bottom right corner of each pastry square to the top left corner, creating a triangle.

Using your fingers, press the triangles down ½ cm. from the open edges (¼”).

Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the bourekas on it, and chill them in the refrigerator at least 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Remove the bourekas from the refrigerator and brush the egg wash all over the tops.

Spoon the sesame and nigella seeds into a small bowl; mix them.

Scatter the seeds generously over the bourekas.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the bourekas are golden. Allow them to cool a few minutes, and serve.

The recipe was adapted to standard US measurements, but to obtain the exact results, it’s best to follow the original metric measurements.

Chef ’s tip: Keep the puff pastry very cold, as it loses shape easily when warm. Prepare the filling, egg wash and seeds ahead, in order to work quickly.