Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 4
Dietary
Vegetarian
These pastries are believed to originate from Turkey and can also be cooked in a large pan and then cut into slices.
By Hus Vedat
From Saturday Kitchen
For the borek
- 100g/3½oz spinach, cooked and squeezed
- 85g/3oz feta, crumbled, plus extra to serve
- 25g/1oz pine nuts, toasted
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 10g chopped fresh mint
- few splashes of double cream
- 50ml/2fl oz yoghurt, for brushing
- 25ml/1fl oz full-fat milk, for brushing
- 25ml/1fl oz olive oil, for brushing, plus extra for greasing
- 3 ready-rolled filo pastry sheets
For the tomato and mint salad
- 300g/10½oz heritage tomatoes, chopped
- 25g/1oz walnuts, chopped
- 25g/1oz pomegranate seeds
- 30ml/1fl oz pomegranate molasses
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 fresh flatleaf parsley sprigs, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 25g/1oz pine nuts, toasted
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
- 50g/1¾oz feta, frozen
- parsley oil
Method
For the borek, place the spinach, feta, pine nuts, mint and cream in a large bowl and mix to combine. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and grease a baking tray.
Combine the yogurt, milk and olive oil in a small bowl. Lay out a sheet of filo pastry on a work surface. Brush the pastry with the yogurt mixture then place the next sheet on top and repeat. Finish with the final sheet of pastry and repeat. Fold the pastry sheets in half and brush with the mixture again. Cut the pastry into 4 squares.
Place a quarter of the spinach filling about 2cm/¾in away from one edge of a pastry square and then roll up tightly to create a filo cylinder. Repeat with the 3 other squares. Brush the pastries with the egg and bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes, or until golden.
For the tomato and mint salad, place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the borek with extra feta, pine nuts and mint, grate over the frozen feta, and drizzle with the parsely oil. Serve with the salad on the side.