Title: Israeli Burekas (Pronounced Buh-Ray-Kahs)
Categories: Mideast Cheese Pastry Jewish Israeli
Yield: 1 Servings

	l	Pkg. prepared strudel dough
		Or puff pastry
		Sesame seeds (optional)
		Cheese Filling:
1	c	Grated cheddar cheese
1	c	Grated white salty cheese
		(fetta or salty goat
		Cheese)
1		Egg
1		Beaten egg yolk and
1	tb	Water (to brush on top)

As the hot summer days bid farewell and the cold rainy days arrive here in Jerusalem, tastes often switch from glidah (ice cream) to hot burekas. Eager customers queue up to buy these pastries, which are filled with both sweet and salty fillings, and would remind you of a turnover.

These tasty treats are a contribution of the Sephardic Jews, the descendants of those who settled and lived in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea and the Moslem world.

Mix together the cheese and egg. Set aside. Divide pastry dough in half. Roll out and stretch to form a large rectangle. Cut into 4-inch squares. Place a heaping spoonful of cheese mixture in the center of each square. Fold over to form a triangle. Pinch edges together firmly; brush tops of each with egg yolk mix and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 20 burekas. Serve hot. These are delicious for breakfast or lunch. Made smaller they serve as tasty appetizers.

I have given the recipe for cheese burekas here, but a great many other fillings are equally good. Be creative. To mashed potatoes add a dash of onion powder and some parsley flakes. Many people love spinach fillings or sauteed mushrooms. My own family likes a sweet cheese filling made with egg and sugar (to taste), added to cream cheese.

Whichever filling you use - cheese, sweet cheese, potato, spinach or mushroom - your family will love this change-of-pace hot pastry!

from my kitchen to------------------------------->yours..... Dan Klepach [dank@easyst.com]

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