Sweet Garleek Borek by Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson

BY SARA KRAMER AND SARAH HYMANSON (LOS ANGELES, CA)

Makes 3 borek, each serving 2-4 people

INGREDIENTS

1½ bunches Sweet Garleek, washed, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch slices
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ bay leaf
2 teaspoon coriander seed, cracked
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or other chili flake
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled zest from
½ lemon
½ cup butter, melted and cooled but still warm
1 box filo dough
1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, followed by Sweet Garleek, coriander, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, salt and bay leaf. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring often. Add a splash of water to help steam, and continue cooking, stirring often for another 1 to 2 minutes or until just tender and still bright green in color. You may have to work in batches.

3. Transfer to a baking sheet or large plate to cool. Add lemon zest and feta cheese, incorporating gently, being careful not to smush the cheese too much. Remove the bay leaf.

4. While the Sweet Garleek mixture is cooling, gently lay a single layer of filo onto a large clean workspace, with the longer side closest to you. Brush the layer completely with some of the warm melted butter. Keep unused filo covered with a dry towel. On top of that, add a damp towel to prevent drying out. (This is so the filo doesn’t get wet, just keeps moist.)

5. Add ½ cup of the Sweet Garleek mixture in a thin, even line at the edge of the filo sheet (closest to your body), leaving about ½ inch of a lip at the very bottom and on each side. Very gently, being careful not to tear, fold that lip over the mixture, and continue rolling upwards/away from you to form a long, slim log; do not to roll too tightly. If any filo tears, use other pieces to patch up the holes or tears.

6. Wrap the log around itself into a loose, snail-like coil, so the edges just touch each other—this will leave room for the dough to expand when cooking. Set aside.

7. Make another log, repeating steps 5 & 6. Insert one end of the second log into the outer end of the first coiled log, and continue to wrap around the first to make one large borek, joining the two. Tuck the end slightly underneath the borek to create a seal.

8.Repeat steps 4-7 with the rest of the filling; this will yield 3 large borek.

9.Transfer the borek to an oiled baking sheet, arranging so they do not touch. Brush each lightly with egg wash.

10. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.

11. Uncooked borek can be stored, wrapped in plastic, in the freezer.