Falmer

THE TRUTH… THE WHOLE TRUTH… AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

KNAFEH BOUREKA

- 8 phyllo pastry sheets
- 80g unsalted butter, melted
- 100g kataifi (shredded filo) pastry
- 200g akkawi or mozzarella cheese, grated
- 150g ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 egg yolk, for egg wash
- 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 150g caster sugar (for syrup)
- 120ml water (for syrup)
- 2 tsp orange blossom water (for syrup)
- 1 tsp lemon juice (for syrup)
- 30 grams crushed pistachios, to garnish

1. Make syrup… combine caster sugar & water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to gentle boil, then simmer for 5 mins. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp orange blossom water and lemon juice, set aside to cool. Syrup must be cold before pouring on hot pastry
2. Roughly chop kataifi. Melt 20g butter in frying pan over medium heat and toast kataifi, tossing frequently until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and cool
3. If using akkawi cheese, soak grated cheese in cold water for 30 mins then drain and pat dry. If not grate mozzarella, add to a bowl with ricotta, caster sugar and orange blossom water, then fold it toasted kataifi
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees celsius // 180 degrees celsius fan). Line a baking tray with parchment paper, keep filo sheets with damp tea towel as you work on them
5. Lay one sheet of phyllo pastry on work surface, brush generously with melted butter, lay second sheet on top and brush again. Cut the double layered sheet into 3 rectangle vertical steps (8-9cm wide). Place 2-3 tbsp of filling in top corner of the strip (leave a 2cm border on all sides of the filling)
6. Fold the top corner down diagonally to form a triangle. Keep folding the triangle down the length of the strip like a flag fold. Tuck the remaining strip underneath the triangle, place flat-side down on tray
7. Place bourekas seam side down on the prepared tray. Whisk together 1 egg yolk with milk and brush over the top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 20-25 mins till golden and crisp
8. As soon as bourekas come out, pour syrup over and serve im

JEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Episode 18: Ladino Speaking Pure Sephardim Jews // ספרדים טהורים (Keftas de Prasa)

JEWS THAT MOVED FROM SPAIN (THEN EXPELLED), TO PORTUGAL (THEN EXPELLED), TO BALKAN COUNTRIES TO ISRAEL

- 4-5 leeks, thinly sliced
- 250g beef mince
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 0.5 tsp pepper
- 1 potato, mashed

- 1.5 cups cornmeal breadcrumbs // panko breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs

- Oil, for frying (optional)

1. Cut potato into small pieces and place in a pot, fill with cold water and bring to boil until the potatoes are fork tender and knife goes in easily
2. Drain and mash with a potato ricer into a bowl
3. Slice the leeks, cook them in a pan over medium heat with olive oil until they’ve sweated down for around 4-5 mins. Remove from heat and let cool down
4. Once cooled, squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the leeks, then add the squeezed leeks into the same bowl with riced potato in it
5. Also add eggs, salt, pepper and minced beef. Mix everything until evenly combined
6. Take a tbsp of mixture and shape the mixture into small patties (NOT FLAT!). Dip each patty into the beaten egg mixture then into the panko breadcrumbs and lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper, and sprayed with oil. Repeat for all of the mixture
7. Lay them evenly on a baking tray and bake them on 220 degrees celsius for around 15-20 mins, keep an eye on them, then flip and cook for a further 10-15 mins. You want them golden brown
8. OR… you can either fry them in oil in a pan until golden on both sides and drain on a paper towel… we did the healthy version x
9. ENJOY