Phyllo Wrapped Meat Borek

I love the crispy, crunchy texture of borekas. They are especially delicous hot out of the oven but the problem is they are loaded with margarine. While I’m trying to use less margarine in my life (though emphatically not always succeeding), I do prefer to use phyllo pastry dough as opposed to puff pastry. Even though you need to use oil, for which I substitute oil spray, you can still achieve a lovely crispy textured effect.

Erev Shabbat I try to make yummy things and change it up a bit so we feel a special effort is being made and I decided to go with a meat borek. I found I achieved an excellent effect by first defrosting the phyllo dough overnight in the fridge. This is a must because you want it properly defrosted but not dried out, so you must remember this first and foremost.

Next, take your trusty, dusty oil spray can-I love the Kirkland brand- especially the fact that there is a foamy white look (which then disappears) which shows you precisely what you’ve sprayed- and it really makes pans non-stick as well. Unroll the phyllo dough and separate the sheets into two bunches. You will be making two meat borek rolls, hence the need for two stacks. Cover one stack with plastic wrap and proceed to the other stack.

Lift the sheets and spray in a side to side manner with a coating of oil spray (you needn’t be meticulous, just overall spray) till you’ve sprayed the lot. Do the other stack and cover both with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Next take out a bowl and put in chopped onion, crushed garlic, ketchup, chopped meat, eggs and breadcrumbs and mix all together.

Uncover one of the phyllo stacks, and coat the phyllo dough with mustard. Pat the chopped meat mixture into a log along the length of the dough.

Fold ends over meat and roll dough snugly over meat using the plastic wrap to help to form a roll. Remove plastic.

Repeat with second stack of phyllo and meat. Place in oil sprayed pan, or with parchment paper beneath, snugly side by side.

Brush the tops with beaten egg and either pop into oven as is or sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in hot oven till browned and crispy. This make it’s own sauce with the mustard, but I like to serve a mustard and mayo sauce on the side. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside this is excellent as a first course, or serve with a more generous hand as a main course.

Phyllo Wrapped Meat Borek

One package phyllo dough – this is sufficient for 2 meat borek logs

Oil spray- you will need quite a bit so make sure you have enough

Brown or Deli Mustard for spreading on dough, approximately 2-3 tablespoons

For the meat filling:

1 kilo or 2.2 pounds of chopped meat

2 heaping tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 crushed clove garlic or a teaspoon’s worth

2 eggs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 additional egg, beaten for brushing on top of finished rolls before baking

Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top, optional

Additional sauce for side or atop if you wish:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 heaping tablespoons deli or brown mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the phyllo dough by having defrosted it overnight so that it will unroll beautifully without tearing. Divide into two stacks (covering the one you’re not working with with plastic wrap) to make two meat boreks. Take your oil spray and spray the sheets in a sweeping back and forth motion. If you miss a spot here and there it’s no big.

Cover the first stack and do this to the second stack. Set aside.

Prepare meat mixture, putting in onion, garlic, ketchup, eggs, meat and breadcrumbs and (I use latex gloves for this) mush and gush everything together till a nice mixture is obtained.

Uncover the first phyllo stack, spread half the mustard on it and lay half the meat mixture in the shape of a long along the end (see pic above). Fold in the ends and roll up the meat in the dough. Place in pan that’s been oil sprayed or that you’ve put parchment paper in. Do the same with the second stack of phyllo dough and meat mixture till you have two logs side by side in the pan snug as a bug.

Take the last beaten egg and brush it on top of the two logs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you wish.

Bake in hot 400 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool enough to slice (use a serrated knife for ease of cutting) plate and serve with plain deli mustard or gild the lily and mix half a cup mayo with 2 heaping tablespoons of mustard thoroughly, either dollop on top or on the side. Enjoy!