A step up from the simple Borek pie recipe, this style of Borek is made in rosettes making sure the filling is spread evenly amongst the layers of pastry. You can use any fillings in Borek, but meat or cheese seem to be most popular. Other variations would be pumpkin, potato, onion, leeks and dill or sweet filling such as nuts and spices. The possibilities are endless!

For 6 – 8 portions

Filling:

For MEAT borek: 400g Minced Beef/Lamb, 1 finely chopped onion, seasoning – Sautee’ together. Leave to cool before constructing Borek.

For CHEESE borek: Either crumbled white (feta) cheese and Parsley OR cubed Kasar Cheese/ Mild Cheddar; Both options of be filled with 1 egg.

For CHEESE & SPINACH borek: 1 Large bag spinach, sauted in a drop of oil until wilted. Mix with 1/2 block of feta cheese, 1 egg then season.

Then:

Pastry – Own made or 1 packet of shop bought Yukfa

1 Egg

1 and a half cups full fat milk

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt

Construction: Lay sheets of pastry in front of you in a pile, lengthways. Drizzle some drops of oil on top later. Spread with fingers then turn over so you have two sheets stuck together.

Take a small handful of the filling mixture and dot around the entire surface.  Take the top two sheets and roll into a cigar shape. Roll this into a rosette, then lay into a greased baking tray.

Repeat process until your baking tray is full of snug fitting rosettes.

Mix milk, oil and 1 egg and pinch of salt together. Pour over rosettes and leave for at least an hour before baking, tilting pan and stabbing borek to ensure pastry soaks up as much of the eggy mixture as possible.

Pre-heat oven to 220 degrees C then bake until puffed and golden brown -  around 25 minutes.

Best eaten at room temperature.

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