Bourekakia Baklava Cigars Recipes

BOUREKAKIA (BAKLAVA 'CIGARS')

Steps:

• For syrup: Cook all ingredients in saucepan over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves, then boil 15 minutes.
• Cool completely; strain.
• For filling: Combine walnuts, cinnamon and cloves.
• Blend in 1 cup syrup and whites (mixture should not be too stiff; add up to ¼ cup additional syrup, if necessary.).
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut phyllo into 5 x 8 inch strips.
• Cover with plastic wrap and a damp towel until ready to use.
• Take a strip and brush it lightly with melted butter.
• Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of filling along narrow edge.
• Fold in sides ½ inch toward center; brush sides lightly with butter; roll up tightly.
• Repeat with remaining strips.
• Arrange seam side down on baking sheet.
• Brush with remaining butter.
• (They can be frozen at this point � increase baking time to 30-35 minutes if baking them frozen).
• Bake until golden and crisp, 20-25 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

BAKLAVA CIGARS

Steps:

• To make the syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool, then strain into a medium bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• To make the filling: In a clean bowl, add egg white and beat with a hand mixer until thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, pecans, brown sugar and cloves. Gently fold in the egg whites and 3/4 cup of the syrup, until combined.
• To assemble: Remove the phyllo from the package, being careful to keep it covered and cool. Take out 1 sheet and put it on a work surface. Gently brush with butter and fold in half. Add approximately 1/4 cup filling, toward the bottom half of the pastry and fold over the long end. Roll up, tucking in the ends as you roll. Set on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with butter. Repeat until all cigars are assembled. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, keeping an eye on them so they don't brown too quickly.
• Remove from oven, let cool for 2 minutes. On a clean work surface, cut the baklava in half on the diagonal and transfer to a serving tray or platter. Drizzle with remaining syrup, sprinkle with slivered almonds and dust with powdered sugar. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

BOUREKAKIA SOKOLATAS - CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA CIGAR

Steps:

• Combine chocolate, walnuts and almonds in a bowl and stand for 45 minutes or until mixture is firm.
• Divide into 3 even pieces and roll each piece into a 12cm long cylinder.
• Lay a sheet of phyllo pastry on a work surface, brush with butter and top with another sheet of phyllo, then cut lengthways into 3 pieces.
• Lay a chocolate cylinder across short end of a pastry sheet, roll, tucking ends in, and brush edge with butter to seal.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo and chocolate cylinders.
• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Place cigars on a baking paper-lined oven tray and bake for 5-6 minutes or until pale golden, then cut each in half diagonally.
• To serve, place a scoop of ice-cream on each dish of set tzatziki and serve with a cigar.

BOUREKAKIA (MEAT TRIANGLES)

Steps:

• In a saucepan add oil and saute onion. Add mince and brown add tomato paste with about 2 cups water, marsala spices,cook on medium heat until mince is cooked and not much sauce remaining in pan.
• Remove from stove, add grated feta cheese, beaten eggs stir; put aside.
• Remove phyllo pastry from packet (there are about 22-24 sheets) cut down lengthwise.
• Keep covered with a moist tea towel as they dry out quickly if uncovered.
• Take one cut sheet brush with melted butter, fold lengthwise again now you have a long strip doubled.
• At bottom place a spoonful of mixture.
• Pick phyllo from bottom and fold upwards about 3cm enclosing the meat mixture press sides, then start folding to make a triangle making sure the corners are not sticking outside the fold.
• You go right, right, bring that point to the left side and left again and so on until you reach the top.
• Brush top of triangle with melted butter and place on baking greased baking tray, when tray is full bake in oven at 200°C until golden brown.
• These triangles can be frozen uncooked.
• When cooking from frozen stage don't defrost first.
• Have a hot over and bake on 200°C.
• Sometimes you may have to flip them over in the oven.