Burekas Spinach and Feta

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Burekas are beloved Israeli savory pastries with roots across Sephardic and Mizrahi traditions. This version wraps a creamy spinach-feta filling in flaky buttery dough, perfect as a snack, lunch, or party appetizer.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 345 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 13 gSaturated Fat
• 28 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 2 gSugar
• 10 gProtein
• 520 mgSodium
• 280 mgPotassium
• 180 mgCalcium
• 2.5 mgIron
• 5 mgVitamin C
• 190 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the dough

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (225 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water
• 1 tsp white vinegar

For the spinach-feta filling

• 1 lb (450 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 7 oz (200 g) Israeli feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup (120 g) full-fat ricotta
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

For finishing

• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds or nigella seeds

Directions

1. Make the dough: whisk flour and salt in a large bowl, then cut in the cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until pebble-sized. Stir the egg yolk, water, and vinegar together, pour into the flour mixture, and bring into a soft dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling: sauté the diced onion in a teaspoon of oil over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until translucent. In a bowl, combine the squeezed spinach, sautéed onion, crumbled feta, ricotta, egg, dill, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix until evenly blended and season to taste.
3. Roll and shape: divide the chilled dough in half and roll each piece on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut into 4 rectangles per half, giving you 8 pieces roughly 5 x 4 inches.
4. Fill and fold: spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto one side of each rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold the empty half over the filling to form a parcel and press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
5. Brush and top: arrange burekas on two parchment-lined sheet pans. Brush each generously with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds. Poke 2 small steam holes in the top of each.
6. Bake: preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 28-32 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until deep golden brown and puffed.
7. Cool briefly on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
8. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 6-8 minutes to restore flakiness.

Cook’s Notes

• Squeeze the thawed spinach very thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel – excess moisture is the #1 cause of soggy burekas.
• For extra-flaky texture, brush the rolled-out dough with melted butter and fold it into thirds like a letter before final rolling.
• Substitute with store-bought puff pastry for a quicker version, or layer 3 sheets of phyllo brushed with butter for a lighter crunch.
• Unbaked shaped burekas freeze beautifully on a sheet pan, then transfer to a bag; bake straight from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes.
• Serve with sliced tomato-cucumber salad and a squeeze of lemon for a classic Israeli lunch.

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