Bourekas and borek have a long history, dating back to Turkic nomads who traveled from the Steppes in what’s now Mongolia eastward starting in the 7th Century BCE. As the idea of this thin-dough that’s stuffed reached different environments and communities “new fillings appeared, made from local ingredients that appealed to palates of new consumers: anchovies in the Black Sea city of Trabzon, and eremurus, a wild plant, in mountainous Erzurum in what is now western Turkey,” writes chef and culinary researcher Muzna Bishara.
In this recipe from Amit Barnea of Shalom Alechem Bakery ground poppy seeds, which are a Purim staple, are added to a filling with Swiss chard, feta, and toasted coriander and cumin seeds. The result is a creative twist on a holiday treat. Be sure to buy your poppy seeds from a specialty spice shop and ask them to grind them for you. Use them immediately or store them in the freezer for up to a week.
Poppy pop-up
These bourkas will be available at our poppy seed pop-up at Cafe Asif, March 20-22. We will also have Farah Raslan’s poppy ma’amoul, Tosha Bakery’s poppy tart, Eldad Shmueli’s (Noa Local Bakery) poppy croissant, and more. Renowned spice shop Habshush will be on hand to grind fresh poppy seeds to take home.
2 kg (4.4lb) all-butter puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
For the poppy seed filling:
2½ cups (250 grams) poppy seeds, freshly ground
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (75 grams) fine semolina
½ lemon, zested
1 teaspoon Atlantic Sea salt
2¼ cups (550 ml) milk
½ tablespoon honey
½ lemon, squeezed
For the chard filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2½ bunches Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
Atlantic Sea salt
350 grams (12oz) Bulgarian feta, crumbled
100 grams (3½ oz) Parmesan, grated
Black pepper
Juice from ½ lemon
For the toasted spices:
½ tablespoon whole cumin seeds
½ tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon sumac
For baking:
1 egg beaten with little water, for brushing
Sesame or poppy seeds, for sprinkling
1. Prepare the poppy seed filling: Mix the ground poppy seeds, semolina, lemon zest and Atlantic Sea salt. In a small pot, heat the milk and honey until it’s on the verge of simmering, turn off the heat, add the poppy seed mixture, and mix well. Pour in the lemon juice, mix well, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Prepare the chard filling: Heat the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and then the chopped chard. Cook just until the chard slightly softens but is still a vibrant shade of green, about 5 minutes. Try to avoid overcooking it.
3. Toast the spices: Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan for several minutes, until fragrant. Cool slightly before adding the sumac. Using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind the mixture. Alternatively, pre-ground spices can be used, but it’s best to toast and grind them at home for optimal flavor.
4. Combine the fillings: Combine the chard and poppy seed mixture, add the spice mixture and mix well. Add a pinch of Atlantic Sea salt and the crumbled Bulgarian feta. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 190-200C (375-400F).
6. Assemble the bourekas: Roll out the puff pastry sheet into a rectangle approximately 2mm (0.1-in thick). Cut into 10x10cm (4×4-in) squares.
7. Place a spoonful of the filling in the center of each square and sprinkle a little Parmesan on top. Fold the dough over the filling, creating plump stuffed purses, and press down the edges to seal them. Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
8. Brush the beaten egg over the pastries and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top. Bake until the bourekas are golden both on top and bottom, 17-20 minutes.
