Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 12: Kale and Potato Bourekas

 

Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 12: Kale Bourekas

 

Ingredients

4 potatoes

1 bunch kale

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1 package frozen puff pastry

1 egg (for eggwash)

Sesame seeds

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Optional: Aleppo pepper

 

Preparation

1.     Defrost puff pastry according to package instructions. Keep cold until you’re ready to start.

2.     Heat oven to 400 F.

3.     Peel potatoes, put in pot, cover with cold water, add ½ tbsp kosher salt, and boil until soft.

4.     Wash the kale, cut out the hard stems and chop. Place in medium bowl and add 2 tbsp olive oil, juice from 1 lemon, salt to taste. Massage the kale for a minute.  

5.     Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes from the boiling water and let air-dry on a plate.

6.     Dump the kale in the potato water and cook for a 3-4 minutes.

7.     Meanwhile, mash the potatoes in the bowl. Remove the kale from the waterwith a slotted spoon and add to the potatoes. Mix well. Taste and add salt, black pepper and Aleppo pepper (if using). Let cool.   

8.     Prepare your working area: cover two cookie sheets or sheet pans with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with water to wet your fingers.

9.     In a small bowl, beat the egg. Spread sesame seeds in another small bowl or deep plate.

10.   Roll out pastry to ~1/8’’ thickness. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, divide pastry into 4x4 inch squares.

11.   Pick up a square, dip your finger in the water bowl and wet the square’s borders. Place 2 tbsp of the kale-potato mixture in the middle of the square, then fold it over to create a rectangle. Close the sides well. Dip one side of the boureka in the egg, then in the sesame seeds, and place on the baking sheet. Repeat with all squares.

12.   Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Tips: 

Bourekas can be filled with anything from your box and beyond: you can use feta cheese, spinach, kale, mushrooms, ground lamb or beef, and any combination. Pre-cook any filling that won't be cooked through inside the oven (e.g. meat, potatoes). Make sure to cool and drain liquid and oil before putting the filling in the dough. 

If you chill the pastries in the fridge for 20 minutes before placing in the oven the result will be crispier!