Golden Cheese Borek Recipe

Prepare the spinach: wash thoroughly and remove tough stems. Roughly chop leaves if large.

Wilt the spinach: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted and liquid has mostly evaporated, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a fine-mesh sieve or bowl to cool and drain. Press or squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible (important to avoid soggy borek).

Crumble and combine cheeses: in a large bowl, crumble the feta with a fork. Add the ricotta and mix to combine.

Chop and add aromatics: finely slice the spring onions and chop parsley and dill (if using). Add them to the cheese mixture.

Mix in eggs and season: beat the two eggs lightly and add to the bowl along with the drained spinach. Season with black pepper and the 1/2 tsp salt (reduce salt if your feta is very salty). Stir until homogenous. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Preheat oven: set oven to 200°C / 390°F (conventional) and position a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare butter-oil brush: combine the melted butter and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a shallow bowl. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water to make an egg wash and set aside.

Prepare filo: carefully unroll filo sheets and cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out. Work with one sheet at a time.

Layer and cut (two assembly options): Option A - Triangle hand pies: take one filo sheet, brush lightly with butter-oil mix. Fold sheet in half lengthwise (to make a long strip). Cut the strip into 3 equal width strips. Place about 1.5–2 tablespoons of filling at one short end of a strip and fold into a triangle shape (like folding a flag) repeatedly until you reach the end; brush outside with butter as you fold. Option B - Round tray borek: alternatively, use full sheets layered in a round pan: oil/brush one sheet, layer another on top, repeating until you have 4–5 sheets. Spread half the filling over the layered sheets, top with 4–5 more buttered sheets and finish by spreading remaining filling; fold over edges, brush top with butter.

Arrange on baking sheet: place assembled triangles or tray pieces seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between. Brush each generously with the butter-oil mixture and then brush with the egg wash for a golden finish. Sprinkle sesame seeds and optional nigella seeds evenly over the tops.

Bake: place in the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes (for triangles) or 30–35 minutes for a pan/round borek, until pastry is deep golden and crisp. Rotate the tray halfway through if browning unevenly.

Finish and rest: remove from oven and let cool on the sheet for 5–10 minutes so filling sets slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.