My husband’s grandmother is Armenian and she has shared some of the tastiest recipes with me. One of my favorites (and Kevin’s favorites) is cheese boereg (also spelled borek). It’s several layers of buttery phyllo dough stuffed with a ricotta, mozzarella, fresh herb mixture. They make the perfect starter and are a great snack with drinks. Don’t be intimidated with working with phyllo dough, it’s super easy to use when it’s room temperature. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
• One roll of ready made phyllo dough (available in the freezer section of the grocery store)
• Half a container of part-skim ricotta cheese
• About 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• About 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley or fresh dill
• A pinch of crushed red pepper (my own personal addition)
• About half a stick of melted butter
• Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1. Thaw the phyllo dough by leaving it out for about an hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Once thawed, remove it from the packaging and place on counter. In a mixing bowl mix the ricotta, mozzarella, herbs, and pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Working with one sheet at a time, brush the entire surface with butter. Repeat with 2-3 more layers of dough (for a total of 3-4 layers). Cut the dough lengthwise into three long strips. Place about 1-2 tbs. spoons of the cheese mixture at the end of each strip.
3. Fold each strip into a small triangle, like a flag. Once completed, brush the outside with butter and place on a oiled baking sheet. Bake for approximately 30 minute or until golden brown.