Rakakat Recipe

Make filling

In a medium bowl, crumble the feta finely using a fork. If the feta is very salty, briefly rinse and pat dry before crumbling. Add the optional akkawi or ricotta if using to mellow the saltiness and create a creamier texture. Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, then season with black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Mix until combined and set aside.

Prepare sealing paste

In a very small bowl, stir the teaspoon of flour with a teaspoon of water to make a thin paste. This will be used to seal the filo edges.

Prepare filo

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment. Unroll the filo sheets and cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.

Cut sheets

Stack two filo sheets for strength. Brush the top-sheet lightly with a mixture of 1 tbs melted butter and 1 tsp olive oil. Cut the stacked sheets lengthwise into 3 equal strips (you’ll get long rectangles roughly 3–4 inches wide depending on sheet size). Repeat until you have 8 strips.

Fill and roll

Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of the cheese filling near one end of a strip. Fold the bottom corner over the filling to start a triangle (like folding a flag). Continue folding in triangle shapes along the length of the strip until you reach the end and have a neat triangular roll. If the last fold doesn't stick, brush a little of the flour-water sealing paste on the final tuck and press to seal. Place finished rakakat on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips and filling.

Brush and seed

Beat the egg (if using) and brush each roll lightly with egg wash, or brush with remaining melted butter. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the rolls.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–18 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through for even browning.

Cool

Remove from the oven and let the rakakat rest on the sheet for 3–5 minutes to set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

Serve

Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges on the side. Rakakat are commonly served as part of a mezze platter.