breakfast börek (egg + cheese phyllo pastries)
When I was in the second grade, my class hosted a “cultural day” where we all brought in our favorite dishes to represent our culture. I begged my mom to make my favorite dish, börek, a phyllo cheese pastry common in Turkish/Armenian/Assyrian cuisine (and as a hyphenate Middle Eastern, what would represent me more?). And my mom delivered, giving me a giant Pyrex full of crispy, cheesy börek for the celebration. I was so excited to share it with the whole class.
But no one touched it.
And not only did no one touch it, the other kids said it looked gross. Distraught, I threw the börek in the trash, Pyrex and all. I felt so ashamed of myself, my culture, and my favorite food in the whole world.
Fast-forward 20-ish years and thankfully I’ve recovered from this experience, one that too many children-of-immigrants are accustomed to. I’ve grown to love and cherish the food that my family eats, even if it’s not someone else’s cup of tea. But I also stand by the fact that börek is one of the most delicious foods known to mankind, which is why we’re here today, with this breakfast börek.
Unlike typical börek, layered in a sheet pan or rolled in swirls or triangles, this börek is a mini open-faced galette. Not only is it more visually appealing than the aforenoted börek that made my classmates scoff, but there’s an egg! And we all know I love eggs. This is the perfect thing to make when you want to impress for your next brunch.
prep time: 25 minutes | cook time: 20 minutes
serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
1 package phyllo dough (about 16 sheets; I prefer #7 thickness)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or ghee
8 oz. feta cheese (block)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
9 large eggs
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tbsp. nigella seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp. chili powder (optional)
extra sesame & nigella seeds, for topping
SPECIAL TOOLS
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine feta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, 1 large egg, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and chili powder (if using). Using clean hands, mix the ingredients together, crumbling the block of feta cheese as you mix. Set bowl aside.
Melt the butter or ghee and place in a small bowl. Set aside.
Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a clean surface. Dip the pastry brush in the melted butter and lightly brush the phyllo dough sheet; no need to put too much butter! Top with another sheet of phyllo dough and repeat brushing with butter.
In the center of the phyllo dough, add a scant 1/2 cup of filling and spread into a thin, even circle about 6” in diameter. Crinkle the excess phyllo dough around the filling edges, similar to a galette, and then brush the edges with extra butter. Gently place the phyllo pastry on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat for remaining phyllo dough sheets and filling; there should be about 8 in total.
Tip: phyllo dough can dry out; place a damp paper towel over the remaining sheets as you work on each pastry!
Once all pastries are on the baking sheet, crack an egg in the center of each pastry, and top with sesame and nigella seeds.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the edges of the pastry are golden brown. Tip: if you prefer a runnier egg, bake the pastries, egg-less, for 5 minutes, and then add the eggs in the center and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Enjoy immediately! I love these for breakfast with some cucumber and tomato salad or fruit.
