Pastelikos are a type of borek, filled pastries that originate from the Ottoman Empire and have been popular ever since in Turkey, the Balkan and in Israel as well. Pastelikos have a unique cup shape, and while the traditional filling is made with beef, other vegetarian fillings are popular too, such as Swiss chard or spinach, roasted eggplant with feta, or simply feta with green onion as in this recipe.
Bulgarian pastelikos with feta
Course: Appetizers, Breakfast, Pastries & BreadsCuisine: Bulgarian, Jewish, Balkan, IsraeliDifficulty: MediumYields
20
pastelikosPrep time
45
minutesBaking time
30
minutesTotal time
1
hour15
minutesINGREDIENTS
- For the dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
7 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. all purpose flour, plus ore for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the filling
12 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
5 green onions, green parts only, chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves or Italian parsley
- For the egg wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
- Make the dough: put water, butter and olive oil in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until butter melts. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix for 5 minutes (you can also knead by hand.) Divide dough to â…” and â…“ , flatted each part to a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and put in the fridge until the filling is ready.
- Mix all filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Layer 2 baking sheets with parchment papers. Dust a working surface and a rolling pin with a little flour.
- Roll the larger disk of dough to ⅜ inch thick rectangle. Use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to cut 18-20 rounds. Roll the smaller disk of dough to the same thickness and use a 1½ inch round cookie cutter to cut the same number of rounds.
- Hold first large round with your hands and create a cup with about 1 inch sides. Fill with feta filling to the rim, then top with a smaller dough round and pinch to close. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Mix 1 egg with a tablespoon of water and brush pastelikos, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Put baking sheets in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Turn oven to 350 degrees. Bake pastelikos for 25-30 minutes until golden. Serve hot or warm.
Looks so yummy. Do you think, that they freeze well? If yes, would you freeze them before or after baking? Thanks for the reply
It would be better to freeze them before baking (although after baking will be fine too.) do not thaw them before baking, just bake them for about 35 minutes at 325. Thanks for asking!