No self-respecting website posting a slew of Sephardic recipes in one day could omit borekas. These are, according to my mentor Katherine Scharon, the real deal. No funky random puff pastry wrapped blobs of potato here. No! These borekas have a unique dough made of flour, oil, water and salt that gently folds and stretches over the cheese laden potato filling. The borekas pictured are from last winter. Making them this week, I marvel at how different the dough can be depending on the flour, the weather. I've cut back on the flour and like the ease of handling this affords.

We make the filling with potato flakes reconstituted with water. Sometimes we've made them with added milk and butter. Milk and butter can make the potato too soft with a tendency to burst out from the crust while baking. So, I think I'm back to just potato flakes and water. There is a ton of cheese in the filling. The cheese is key so don't be skimpy.

The boreka dough may also be filled with a number of fillings. We've used eggplant tapenade with great reviews. Master the dough, master the rope edging and you can do whatever you want with the filling. My favorite in the fall and winter months is pumpkin. It is like individual pumpkin pie to go. Love, love it!

Ingredients:

The filling:

• 3/4 pounds (12 ounces) potato flakes
• 4 1/2 cups hot water (or, 3 cups hot water, 1 cup warm milk and 1/2 cup melted butter)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (plus some for sprinkling on tops)
• 1 eggs (plus 1 for egg washing tops)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 pound feta cheese
• 1/2 pound cottage cheese

For the dough:

• 4 1/2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup hot water

Steps:

To make the dough, put the flour and salt into a bowl. Heat the water in the microwave so it is very hot. Add the oil and stir. Add to the flour and salt. Stir until blended. Mix with your hand to be sure it is well blended but don't over handle.

Form dough into a ball, place on counter and invert the bowl over dough. Let rest while you make the filling.

To make the filling, put the potato flakes into a bowl. Add the water and mix to blend well.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Scoop the filling into golf ball sized portions. There should be about 36 balls.

Scoop the dough into balls smaller than the filling, about the size of a walnut.

Flatten the ball of dough on the table surface. Place a ball of filling onto the flattened dough ball.

With your thumb, push the filling into the dough as you bring it over the top of the filling. Hopefully, your dough is pliable enough to do that with a gentle stretching that doesn't break the dough.

Continue to fold over until you can gently pinch the edges together. You want the edges to just barely meet and the pinch to be very narrow.

Form the rope edging by rolling dough up, over and flattening with the bottom of your thumb. You want to create a very delicate edge. Repeat until the edge is done. It usually takes about 14 motions to complete the edge.

Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Place the boreka onto a sheet pan. They can be about 1/2" apart. Bake until a light golden brown and there is color on the bottom. Serve warm or at room temperature. And that is how you make Kosher Sephardic Borekas!

Rate this Recipe:

Comments:

Ben: I remember the years of working along side the little Sephardi woman making these. They really are authentic and always a crowd pleaser!

Report abuse

Souzan: Excellent!

Report abuse

Olga: Why not use whole potato instead of potato flakes? Wouldn't that give it a richer taste?

Report abuse

Cynthia: Leah - I'm surprised you use hot water for your dough. I use ice water and find it comes out better - easier to work with and flakier. It's my aunt Regina Amira's recipe.

Report abuse

Leah: Hi Cynthia, I prefer boiling water mixed with the room temperature oil and I mix the dough just until blended. We made 900 the other day and the dough is very pliable and easy, fast to use. Some people use white wine. I just find that less mixing of the dough is best.

Report abuse

Barbara: I am thrilled to see a recipe for borekas that duplicates what my mother taught me...and her mother taught her. Many, many thanks for posting this, so my children will find it, if they forget.

Report abuse

Leah: Thanks, Barbara - we sure make a ton of these! Olga above - I guess one could use whole potatoes but when I'm doing 500 at a time, I need consistency and a break!

Report abuse

Dalia: Every time turn our just perfect borekas. Thank you for the recipe.

Report abuse

LOUIS: A friend referred me to your site just for this recipe on Boreas. My mom used to make these all the time. She wrote down her recipe before she died, but I think she forgot to put in a few of the ingredients. Anyway, I can't wait to make these ( I haven't had them for about 10 years). Thanks for giving me back a piece of my childhood

Report abuse

Robin: what temp do you bake at ? for how long until golden brown usually?

Report abuse

Leah: Hi Robin, It really depends on the individual oven, about 15 minutes at 350'. We often prep and then bake them frozen and it takes longer. Start shorter time and rotate when lightly browned, finish at golden brown. Thanks!

Report abuse

Marta: I can't thank you enough for this recipe. My grandmother and mother used to make these all the time when I was a kid and I would always help them. I had a vague idea what the recipe was but couldn't get the dough right because they made the dough by feel without measuring anything. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew it was perfect. My mother and grandmother are now gone and I am glad I can continue to passdown this recipe to my daughter. My family actually adapted the filling when they came to the United States in the 60s from Cuba. They were originally Sephardic jews from Turkey. When they immigrated to the US they were very poor so my grandma could only afford cheap american cheese for the filling. My mom would always make a batch with the cheeses you have in the potato and another with the american cheese. They are both super yummy. Today was my brothers birthday and I made him a batch and it was a beautiful memory.

Report abuse

Marta: I can't thank you enough for this recipe. My grandmother and mother used to make these all the time when I was a kid and I would always help them. I had a vague idea what the recipe was but couldn't get the dough right because they made the dough by feel without measuring anything. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew it was perfect. My mother and grandmother are now gone and I am glad I can continue to passdown this recipe to my daughter. My family actually adapted the filling when they came to the United States in the 60s from Cuba. They were originally Sephardic jews from Turkey. When they immigrated to the US they were very poor so my grandma could only afford cheap american cheese for the filling. My mom would always make a batch with the cheeses you have in the potato and another with the american cheese. They are both super yummy. Today was my brothers birthday and I made him a batch and it was a beautiful memory.

Report abuse

Marta: I can't thank you enough for this recipe. My grandmother and mother used to make these all the time when I was a kid and I would always help them. I had a vague idea what the recipe was but couldn't get the dough right because they made the dough by feel without measuring anything. As soon as I saw this recipe I knew it was perfect. My mother and grandmother are now gone and I am glad I can continue to passdown this recipe to my daughter. My family actually adapted the filling when they came to the United States in the 60s from Cuba. They were originally Sephardic jews from Turkey. When they immigrated to the US they were very poor so my grandma could only afford cheap american cheese for the filling. My mom would always make a batch with the cheeses you have in the potato and another with the american cheese. They are both super yummy. Today was my brothers birthday and I made him a batch and it was a beautiful memory.

Report abuse

Rachel: Hi, Can I make the dough a day or two ahead of time and place it in the fridge until I need to use it?

Report abuse

Add a comment:


Please login to comment. Not a member? Click here...

Recently viewed recipes:

Sephardic Borekas