BOEREGS (FLAKY ARMENIAN PUFF PASTRY) AS MADE BY BLAKE BESHARIAN RECIPE BY TASTY

Boeregs (Flaky Armenian Puff Pastry) As Made By Blake Besharian Recipe by Tasty image

Boeregs are a classic part of Armenian mezze. They can be filled with a range of cheeses, meats, and sweet fillings. The fillings used here are fairly traditional and extra-delicious since they're filled with savory cheese. They make a great appetizer or light lunch.

Provided by Rie McClenny

Yield 48 boeregs

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
¾ cup rodopa cheese, (sheep's milk feta)
1 large egg
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh chives
1 large egg
½ lb kashkaval cheese, grated
1 lb frozen filo dough, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon water
1 cup white sesame seeds

Steps:

Make the herbed feta filling: Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg and cumin and stir to combine, then remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
In a food processor, combine the spinach, parsley, rodopa cheese, egg, and the cooled onion mixture and pulse until broken down into a chunky paste. Transfer the filling to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the food processor.
Make the melted Kashkaval filling: Add the parsley, chives, egg, and Kashkaval cheese to the clean food processor and pulse until the mixture breaks down into a chunky paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets, or as many as you have, with parchment paper.
Assemble the boeregs: Unroll the filo dough and cut crosswise into 3½-inch (9 cm) wide strips. Cover the filo dough with a damp towel while you fill the boeregs.
Lay a strip of dough lengthwise on a cutting board. Holding the top of the dough with your left index finger, brush a thin layer of melted butter over the length of the dough. Scoop ½ tablespoon of filling at the top center of the strip, about ½ inch (1 ¼ cm) from the top. Fold the top left corner of the dough over the filling to make a triangle. Brush more melted butter on the top of the triangle, then continue folding and brushing until you reach the end of the dough strip, trimming any excess dough that doesn't fold all the way over. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough strips and filling to make about 24 boereg with each filling. Reserve any leftover dough for another use.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the water.
Brush the egg wash over the boeregs, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
Bake the boeregs for 10-12 minutes, until golden, flaky, and crisp. Serve warm.
Enjoy!