Bourekakia Greek Style Cheese Filled Diamonds Recipes

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.

BOUREKAKIA (GREEK STYLE CHEESE-FILLED DIAMONDS)

Steps:

• Beat together cheeses, egg yolks, and parsley until well blended and creamy.
• Lay out 3 sheets of phyllo (keeping remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap), and lightly brush one sheet with butter using a wide pastry brush.
• Lay the second sheet on top of the first and brush with butter, and repeat with the third on top of the second.
• Spoon a 1/2 inch wide ribbon of cheese mixture along one of the long sides of the dough, and starting from that side, roll up jelly roll style, tucking in the ends as you go to encase the filling.
• Place seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Repeat, making 7 more rolls and placing them about an inch apart.
• Bake uncovered at 375°F for 15 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned.
• Let cool 15 minutes; then slice through each roll on the diagonal about 2 1/4 inches apart, making diamond shaped pieces.
• Serve immediately.

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.

GREEK YOGURT BOUREKAKIA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Add butter, yogurt and 2 eggs and stir to blend. Knead with hands in bowl until smooth soft dough forms. Transfer dough to floured surface. Roll out to 12-inch square, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut square into 13 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 equal strips.
• Place strips on large baking sheet. Brush tops with yolks. Mix cheese and parsley in bowl. Sprinkle over strips. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

TRADITIONAL GREEK TIROPETES (CHEESE PHYLLO PIE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Combine crumbled feta and ricotta cheeses.
• Add eggs and beat thouroughly, then parsley and mix well.
• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in a 9x9 in baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter.
• Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with butter, and repeat with four more sheets of phyllo.
• Spread cheese mixture into pan and place another 6 sheets of phyllo in the same process as before.
• Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Serve while hot.