food

Here’s why you should be making pizza bourekas

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Bourekas were one of the foods I fell in love with hard while in Israel for the first time. I am a sucker for pastry filled with, well, basically anything — samosas, empanadas, calzones, you name it. So warm, flaky dough filled with cheese, potatoes, or mushrooms was like a savory dream come true. And as my colleague Rachel Myerson points out, even when Israeli bourekas are bad, they are actually still good.

When in Israel, we buy them in bulk at the corner makolet (convenience store), and snack on them all day. Of course, they make the perfect breakfast alongside some Israeli-style chopped salad and labneh.

While flavors like spinach and cheese are more classic, pizza bourekas are a new, Americanized version of the traditional Turkish-inspired bourekas. My recipe for pizza bourekas is very Israeli-meets-Italian-American: I use a combination of shredded Edam and mozzarella cheeses, a schmear of tomato sauce, and sliced Israeli green olives. But you can use any shredded cheese you prefer: mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even that pre-shredded bag of mixed cheeses from the supermarket. I like to add a little Italian seasoning and a pinch of thick sea salt after I have egg washed them, but this is completely optional.

These are so easy, come together in just 30 minutes —and are 100 percent kid-friendly.

Ingredients

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1/4 cup tomato sauce

4 oz Edam cheese, shredded

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1 to 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1 egg, beaten

Italian seasoning

Directions

1. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Spread with even layer of tomato sauce — around 2 to 3 Tbsp. per sheet. Leave thin border all around.

3. Sprinkle with an even layer of shredded cheese and olives. Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top if you want.

4. Roll up on the longer side. Trim off edges.

5. Slice each roll into 8 even pieces.

6. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash and top with sprinkle of Italian seasoning if desired.

7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the cheese is oozing. Best served a little warm.