Bourekas

• feta crumbs75g g
• cottage cheese↗50g g
• mature cheddar↗50g g

  grated

• eggs↗2

  separated and beaten

• ready puff pastry↗320g g
• sesame↗1-2 tbsp tbsp
• hard-boiled eggs4
• harissa
• sliced pickled cucumbers

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Mix the feta, cottage cheese and cheddar with a fork until smooth. Season with a few crushed black peppercorns. No salt is needed as the cheese is already salty, but taste and add if desired. Add one beaten egg and mix, then set aside.

2. 2

   Line a baking tray (or two) with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6. Lay out the pastry sheet on a board – it should be about 35 × 23 cm. Trim a 2 cm strip from one edge and discard. Cut 15 squares about 7 × 7 cm.

3. 3

   Place a small spoonful of the cheese filling on one corner of each pastry square and gently flatten the mound. Form a bourek by folding the opposite corner over to cover the filling, creating a triangle. Press the outer edges firmly, sealing out air. If the edges don’t hold, brush them with a little more beaten egg or water. Press the edges with a fork to seal and create a nice pattern. Continue until all dough and filling are used.

4. 4

   Brush the tops of the triangles with a second beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame. When all bourekas are formed, bake for 20‑25 minutes until golden, risen and done. Let cool slightly on racks. Eat warm or let cool and cut them crosswise, leaving the folded side attached so they can be opened slightly without splitting in half. Fill with slices of hard‑boiled eggs, harissa and pickled cucumbers.