Cicara Borek Recipes

Steps:

• To begin, lay out the pastry cut into medium triangles, wash and chop the parsley. Put in a large mixing bowl add all the feta cheese and with a flork mash them together adding the whole egg. Mix well, then with a tea spoon scoop a large amount onto your cut pastry. At the largest end, roll once towards the top and fold the two sides in and continue to roll to the top. When done, wet two fingers with the water to stick down end. When finished preheat oil on low heat for around 20 seconds then add as your borek to the pan and fry till medium brown. Turn over making sure all sides are cooked. Take out a plate put 1 sheet of paper towel on it. When the borek is cooked place on the plate. Once you have cooked all the borek, place another sheet of paper towel on top. Wait 30 seconds then pat to remove excess oil then serve.

Steps:

• Prepare the meat filling: Place a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. When oil and butter are hot, add onions and cook briskly, stirring, until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add lamb to onions and break into rough pieces with a wooden spoon, mashing occasionally, until lamb is crumbly and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Season mixture generously with salt and pepper, then add cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and sumac. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes more, stirring. Raise heat as necessary to let mixture brown well. Stir in pomegranate molasses, raisins and pine nuts. Taste and adjust seasoning, then set aside to cool.
• Prepare the cheese filling: Put feta and yogurt in a bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper, whisk in beaten egg, then stir in parsley, fresh mint and dried mint.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Assemble boreks one at a time: Lay one sheet of phyllo on a clean work surface. Brush very lightly with olive oil. Carefully place another phyllo sheet directly on top and brush with oil. Fold this doubled sheet in half, to form a rectangle 9 by 14 inches. Position it so the 9-inch end is facing you.
• Spoon 3 tablespoons cheese filling over surface of rectangle, smearing with the back of a spoon to cover, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 1/4 cup lamb mixture in a 2-inch ribbon along the edge closest to you.
• Fold over long sides of pastry an inch or so to help contain filling. Lift edge and loosely roll up pastry away from you, as if rolling up a carpet. Brush pastry lightly with oil as you proceed. The result should look like a flat cigar, about 3 inches wide and about 8 inches long. Continue to assemble remaining boreks.
• Transfer pastries to a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing them 1 inch apart. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame, nigella or poppy seeds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.