Cheese borek

Cheese borek

With its flaky, crispy exterior and rich, creamy cheese filling, cheese borek is a delicious staple in Middle Eastern cuisine. Whether you are a seasoned borek enthusiast or trying it for the first time, one thing is for sure – you are in for a real treat. Made with homemade dough, salty feta, and fresh parsley, you are guaranteed the perfect cheese borek to enjoy during iftar.
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https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/cheese-borek/

Instructions

Dough
  • Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the yeast with some water and add it to the dough once is well combined.
  • Add the vegetable oil.
  • Gradually add 240 ml water and knead the dough using your hands until it is smooth and homogeneous.
  • Cover the bowl with a towel or cling film. Then, let the dough sit for 1 hour.
Filling and assembling
  • In another bowl, finely chop the fresh parsley and mix with the feta cheese, the Arla Cravendale whole milk and a pinch of salt and mix it well with your hands.
  • When the dough has doubled in size, put it on a flat surface dusted with flour and cut it into equal-sized portions.
  • Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough into a small circle.
  • Place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the middle of each circle and fold it over to create a half-moon shape.
  • Use a fork to properly seal the sides of the dough.
  • Brush the cheese borek with a whisked egg.
Frying
  • Heat oil in a pan and fry the cheese borek over high temperature until golden and slightly crispy.
  • Take the cheese borek out of the pan and put it on paper towels to absorb the oil. Serve it hot!
Enjoy!
Tips

If you are short on time, you can prepare the borek dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it. However, be sure to let it come to room temperature before rolling it out. Be mindful not to overfill the cheese borek, as this can cause it to become soggy. Brushing the borek with egg helps to give them a crispy exterior.

Leftover cheese borek can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply place the borek in a preheated oven or a pan for 5-10 minutes until crispy and hot.

Questions about borek

With our recipe for cheese borek and a few basic ingredients, you can easily make this popular Middle Eastern pastry at home. Whether you are looking to enjoy a hearty, tasty snack with your family or guests, cheese borek is sure to be a favourite for everyone. Read on to discover more.

What is borek?
Borek is a savoury pastry made with thin layers of phyllo dough and filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, meat, or vegetables. It is a popular dish in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Mediterranean countries. For this cheese borek recipe, we make the dough ourselves and use a filling made from feta cheese and parsley. The result is a pastry that is flaky and crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside.
How to make borek?
Mix the ingredients for the dough as per the recipe and let it rest for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the filling with feta cheese, parsley and a pinch of salt and mix well. Once the dough has doubled in size, cut it into smaller pieces and roll it out. Add the cheese filling into the centre of each dough, fold over to a half-moon shape, and seal the edges with a fork. Brush the feta borek with a beaten egg and fry them over high heat until they are golden and crispy. Place them on paper towels to absorb the oil.
How to make borek dough?
To make the borek dough, mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Next, add yeast mixed with water, followed by oil. Then gradually add 240 ml water little by little and knead the dough with your hands until it is smooth and uniform. Cover the dough with cling film or a tea towel and let it rest for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
What to serve with borek?
Cheese borek can be served with a variety of sides, depending on your personal preference. In Middle Eastern countries it is often served with tea. But you can also enjoy it with a fresh green salad, which provides a light complement to the richness of the borek. A bowl of plain or mint-flavoured yoghurt also works quite well and can help balance the flavours in the pastry.

Ingredients

Dough
Flour
360 g
Instant yeast
2 tsp
Sugar
Salt
½ tsp
Warm water
240 ml
Vegetable oil
120 ml
Filling
Feta
150 g
Arla Cravendale Whole milk
120 ml
Fresh parsley
10 g
Egg
1
Frying
Oil
120 ml
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Classic cheese borek with feta and parsley

Cheese borek with feta and parsley is a delicious and enticing pastry that has been a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for centuries. It is often served as a quick and delicious snack and the taste and texture are simply irresistible. The flaky, golden-brown pastry dough provides a perfect crunch, while the creamy and tangy feta cheese and the fresh parsley offer a delicate balance of flavours. The result is a savoury and mouth-watering pastry that will tantalise your taste buds and leave you wanting more. It is the perfect addition to any family gathering.

Check out more of our delicious Ramadan recipes, for example, qatayef with cream, kulaj, and knafeh with cream.

Easy homemade borek dough

Making homemade borek dough is a task that might sound daunting at first, but it is easier than you think and the result will be a delicious dough that turns flaky and crispy when fried.

The secret to a perfect borek dough is all in the ingredients and the technique. You start by mixing the dry ingredients, then add yeast, then slowly add oil and water and knead the dough for a few minutes until it becomes soft and pliable. It should be left to rise to double its size. The dough is soft and flaky yet sturdy enough to hold the cheesy filling.

Crispy fried half-moon borek with cheese

The crispy fried texture of the cheese borek is one of the defining features of this delicious and delicate pastry. The crispy, golden-brown pastry dough provides a perfect contrast to the creamy and tangy cheese filling, creating a harmonious balance of flavours and textures.

The frying process transforms the pastry from a soft and pliable dough into a crunchy and flaky crust. The high heat seals the edges of the pastry, locking in moisture and creating a crispy exterior. As the cheese borek bakes, the cheese filling starts to melt and ooze, giving the pastry a rich and creamy texture that is simply mouth-watering.

Experiment with a rolled version

Cheese borek is a classic that comes in many shapes and sizes. Although our version is a half-moon shape, this is not the only traditional way to make it. Rolled cheese borek is a fun and creative way to make it, and the best part is it is incredibly easy to recreate.

Once the dough has rested, it is time to roll it out. Dust your work surface with a little flour to prevent the dough from sticking, then use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large and thin sheet. Spread a thin layer of the feta and parsley filling onto the dough, then roll it up tightly, starting from one end and rolling to the other. Next, form the dough roll to a snail-like form, brush with a whisked egg, and fry the whole rolled cheese borek in a pan until it is crispy and golden. You can also make smaller rolls instead of one big one.

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