MIDDLE EASTERN
WHIPPED FETA & WILD GARLIC BOREK
Found throughout the streets of Istanbul, cheese Börek are exquisite crisp pastry parcels perfect for a quick on-the-go snack or as a meal in itself. We have taken a classic filling and added wild garlic, giving a subtle but warm garlic note to the Börek.


Ingredients
100g Wild Garlic, preferably fresh or from frozen
200g Feta Cheese
2–3tbsp Natural Greek Yogurt
Filo pastry 270g pack (7 sheets)
100g Butter, melted
1 Egg and 1 Egg Yolk, lightly beaten
Black Sesame Seeds or Nigella Seeds, sprinkled on top
Pepper, to taste
METHOD
1. To make the cheese börek start by preheating the oven to 180 °C.
2. If using fresh wild garlic, wash the leaves, dry out with kitchen towel and chop them finely. Place a large pan over a medium high heat with a splash of olive oil. Sauté the wild garlic for a couple of minutes until the moisture is drawn out.
3. Remove the wild garlic and allow to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix the wild garlic and feta cheese. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt to loosen up the mixture.
5. Cut the butter into cubes and melt.
Take your first sheet of filo pastry, and lay it down onto a large work surface lined with parchment paper, ensuring the shorter edge is facing toward you and you are looking at the sheet in portrait. Brush the pastry with the melted butter before laying a second sheet directly on top of it, again brushing with melted butter.
Then, lay a fresh sheet of filo to the right of the double layered pastry but allow it to overlap the two sheets by about 3cm. Brush with melted butter before laying a second sheet directly on top of it again, and brush with melted butter. repeat this process until you have four pieces of double layered filo pastry, overlapping in a line.
6. On the bottom edge of the buttered filo pastry, lay out your filling in a long even strip. Do not place the mixture too close to the two edges to prevent overflowing.
7. With the help of the parchment paper, pulling it gently, carefully roll the pastry up and over the filling, rolling over again until you have one long snake of pastry filled with the wild garlic and cheese mixture.
8. Then, gently wind the pastry on itself until you achieve a snail shape and place on a baking tray.
9. Brush the cheese börek with the beaten egg and sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
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