This cheese bourekas is made with puff pastry and filled with a delish cheese mixture that contains feta, ricotta, and mozzarella.
Topped with egg wash and sesame seeds, baked to perfect golden brown color, has a flakey texture, and will melt in your mouth.
Cheese bourekas are a delicious and savory pastry filled with creamy cheese that is popular in Israel and Middle Eastern cuisines.
These flaky pastries are often enjoyed as a snack or appetizer, perfect for any time of the day.
The combination of the buttery, crispy dough, and the gooey, melted cheese filling creates a delightful contrast in textures and flavors.
Bourekas can be served warm or at room temperature, making them a versatile and crowd-pleasing treat for any occasion.
For more Jewish and Israeli recipes, check out our hamantaschen cookies, challah buns, date roll cookies, moist honey cake, and our chocolate babka.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- this bourekas has a crispy, flakey and melt in your mouth texture with a savory and creamy cheese filling.
- Flavor- this delicious buttery and flakey bourekas has a delish savory cheese filling and a decadent buttery flavor from the puff pastry.
- Ease- these are made with puff pastry and you can use store bought or homemade! The cheese filling is made with a few simple ingredients and comes together super quick.
- Versatile- these can be filled with various fillings such as different cheeses, mushrooms, spinach, veggies, pizza sauce, potato and onion, and more.
- Freezer friendly- this is a great breakfast or appetizer that freezes great and can be made ahead of time! You can make them, and before baking them, freeze them, and when you are ready to bake, brush them with egg wash, and bake!
What are bourekas?
Bourekas are savory pastries that are made with either puff pastry or phyllo pastry. There are a few popular fillings to stuff bourekas with.
The most popular fillings are cheese, potato, mushrooms, pizza sauce and cheese, spinach, and cheese.
Bourekas are usually topped with egg wash and sesame seeds. Baked to golden brown and crispy.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Frozen puff pastry- we use store-bought frozen puff pastry, we find it the easiest and fastest to work with. If you want to use a homemade puff pastry, that will work great as well.
Ricotta cheese- use your favorite brand of ricotta cheese.
Mozzarella- we used store-bought grated mozzarella cheese, but you can use fresh mozzarella cheese, or grate it yourself.
Feta cheese- use a block of feta cheese. use your favorite brand of feta cheese.
Salt- we like to use kosher salt for this recipe.
Black pepper- for flavor.
Eggs- you will need 2 large eggs for this recipe, one for the filling and one for the egg wash. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Sesame seeds- we like to top the bourekas with egg wash and sesame seeds.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 200c (400f), and let your puff pastry thaw for about 30-40 minutes or until it's easy to work with.
Lightly flour a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the puff pastry slightly and cut it into 6 even squares using a pizza cutter.
Make the cheese filling: In a medium mixing bowl, add the feta cheese, ricotta cheese, large egg, and grated mozzarella. Add salt and pepper and mix until a creamy mixture forms.
Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, place the cheese mixture on top of the puff pastry, bring two edges together, and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the rest of the bourekas.
Place the bourekas on a parchment-lined baking sheet keeping them about 1 inch apart.
Mix 1 egg with a tablespoon of water, brush it on top of the bourekas, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional). Bake at 200c (400f) for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on them so they won't burn.
Serve with freshly grated tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, and freshly made Israeli salad.
Expert tips
- Feel free to make these in whatever size you'd like. You can make these smaller or bigger. We cut ours into 12 bourkeas.
- Keep an eye on the pastries when they are baking! They are easy to burn.
- Thaw the puff pastry in advance. An hour or two before making this, take the frozen puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature until it's defrosted.
- Seal the edges of your bourekas well to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Brush the bourekas with egg wash before baking to achieve a golden-brown crust that is both crispy and inviting.
- Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the bourekas into desired shapes before baking for a professional-looking finish.
- If you have a cookie scoop, use it to scoop out the filling to the pastries so they will bake evenly.
- Make these pastries your own by adding or topping them with your favorite flavors. Add a teaspoon of jam, spinach, mushrooms, etc...
- Allow the bourekas to cool slightly after baking before serving, as they will be extremely hot straight from the oven.
Faq's
The most delicious way in my opinion to serve these pastries is with a hard-boiled egg on the side, and freshly grated tomatoes with zhug.
This cheese pastry will last up to 3 days at room temperature. Cover them with plastic wrap or foil to prevent them from drying out. I recommend reheating them in the toaster oven to get them crispy again!
Yes! Using homemade puff pastry will make these even better and more delicious, so I highly recommend it.
Bourekas are a delicious pastry dish typically made with flaky puff pastry and filled with a savory mixture, often including cheese, can be found in different variations, such as spinach or potato fillings
To thaw puff pastry, remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Alternatively, you can thaw it at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes, but be cautious not to let it get too warm or soft.
Storing
Store these at room temperature for up to 4 days. Make sure that you store it in an airtight container so it won’t dry out.
Freezing
Freeze these after they are cooled completely in an airtight freezer-friendly container for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours or until it's thawed.
Another way to freeze these is to make the filling and the pastry triangles, and before baking, place the unbaked bourekas in an airtight container or a ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
When you are ready to bake, take them out of the freezer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, brush egg wash on top, and sesame seeds, and bake at a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Reheating
Reheating these bourkeas is super easy and recommended! Reheat them in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 5-8 minutes or until they are crispy on top and the cheese is warm and melty.
Substitutions
Dairy free- make this dairy-free by swapping the cheeses with vegan cheese!
Phyllo dough- you can make these with phyllo dough instead of puff pastry dough. Follow the same instructions as in my Tiropita recipe.
Cheese- I used a mix of feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and ricotta for these bourekas, but you can use your favorite cheese for this. You can add parmesan cheese, white cheddar cheese, Gouda cheese, etc.
Variations
Add-ins- Bourekas can be made in so many ways. We like to change it up and add different flavors and fillings. Here are a few ideas for different add-ins:
- Spinach
- Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Caramelized onions.
- Meat.
- Shredded chicken.
- Pesto.
- Sun-dried tomatoes.
- Brie cheese.
- Parmesan cheese.
- Eggplant.
Serving Tips
The best way to serve a freshly baked bourkeas is with a refreshing chopped Israeli salad on the side with some hard-boiled eggs. This makes a delicious breakfast with coffee or tea.
The best way to eat a bourekas (for egg lovers of course) is to open it up using a butter knife and stuff it with sliced hard-boiled egg, top it with black pepper and salt, and serve!
Equipment
More cheesy appetizers
Burrata caprese salad- This burrata caprese salad is the ultimate summer salad! It is a fun twist on the classic caprese salad but is made with burrata!
Bruschetta with mozzarella- This bruschetta with mozzarella is the most perfect appetizer to serve for any occasion! It is light, fresh, easy to make, quick, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Tiropita (Greek Cheese Pie)- This tiropita, also known as Greek cheese pie is a flakey, buttery, cheesy, made with phyllo dough and filled with a savory Greek cheese filling.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Israeli Cheese Bourekas (Cheese Pastry)
Ingredients
- 2 sheets Puff pastry
- 1 Egg large
- 7.05 oz Ricotta
- 5.2 oz Feta cheese
- 5.2 oz Mozzarella grated
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅓ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 200c (400f), and let your puff pastry thaw for about 30-40 minutes or until it's easy to work with (or thaw it in the fridge overnight).
- Lightly flour a clean surface and use a rolling pin to roll the puff pastry slightly and cut it into 6 even squares using a pizza cutter.
- Make the cheese filling: In a medium mixing bowl, add the feta cheese, ricotta cheese, large egg, and grated mozzarella. Add salt and pepper and mix until a creamy mixture forms.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, place the cheese mixture on top of the puff pastry, bring two edges together, and seal the edges with a fork. Repeat with the rest of the bourekas.
- Place the bourekas on a parchment-lined baking sheet keeping them about 1 inch apart.
- Mix 1 egg with a tablespoon of water, brush it on top of the bourekas, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top (optional). Bake at 200c (400f) for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on them so they won't burn.
- Serve with freshly grated tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, and freshly made Israeli salad.
Notes
- Feel free to make these in whatever size you'd like. You can make these smaller or bigger. We cut ours into 12 bourkeas.
- Keep an eye on the pastries when they are baking! They are easy to burn.
- Thaw the puff pastry in advance. An hour or two before making this, take the frozen puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature until it's defrosted.
- Seal the edges of your bourekas well to prevent the filling from leaking out during baking.
- Brush the bourekas with egg wash before baking to achieve a golden-brown crust that is both crispy and inviting.
- Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to cut the bourekas into desired shapes before baking for a professional-looking finish.
- If you have a cookie scoop, use it to scoop out the filling to the pastries so they will bake evenly.
- Make these pastries your own by adding or topping them with your favorite flavors. Add a teaspoon of jam, spinach, mushrooms, etc...
- Allow the bourekas to cool slightly after baking before serving, as they will be extremely hot straight from the oven.
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