These courgette & feta boregi are irresistibly tasty. The filling tastes fresh, with a pleasant crunch from the toasted sunflower seeds, while the pastry is crisp and rich. They’re an excellent way to use an abundance of courgettes and are often enjoyed even by those who say they don’t like courgettes.

Ideal for dinner parties, buffets or quick lunches, these boregi can be eaten hot, warm or at room temperature.

They keep well in the fridge and also freeze successfully, making them convenient to prepare in advance.

This version is adapted from Arto der Haroutunian’s Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East. His simple filling of courgette, feta and mint is lovely; I’ve added sunflower seeds and coriander for extra texture and a touch more complexity.

The recipe below yields about 40 boregi, depending on how thinly you roll the pastry, so it’s worth the little time they take to prepare and bake.

Interested? Read on…

Courgette & feta yoghurt pastry boregi

Ingredients

Filling

500g courgettes, topped and tailed (use different colours if available)
200g feta cheese, grated (or another firm salty cheese if you prefer)
50g sunflower seeds, lightly toasted in a dry pan
10–15g fresh coriander, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (remember feta can be salty, so check before adding extra salt)

Pastry

225g unsalted butter, melted (or margarine)
30g vegetable oil
300g yoghurt
1 medium egg (about 55g)
560g plain flour
Large pinch salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Some beaten egg to glaze the pastry

You will need one or more greased and floured baking trays. If you have a baking stone or peel, those work well, but they are not essential.

Method

Start by grating the courgettes and placing them in a colander or sieve set over a bowl to drain for at least 30 minutes. You can sprinkle a little salt to help draw out moisture, but this is optional.

Next, make the pastry. Mix the melted butter, oil, yoghurt and egg in a bowl. Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into the wet ingredients and bring the dough together. It will be quite sticky. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, oil or dampen your hands to handle the stickiness, and knead lightly until smooth. Add a little flour only if necessary. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Prepare the filling while the pastry rests. Tip away the liquid collected under the courgettes. Take handfuls of grated courgette and squeeze out any remaining moisture into the bowl below, then transfer the squeezed courgette into the mixing bowl. Repeat until all courgette has been drained.

Add the grated feta, toasted sunflower seeds, chopped coriander and a little pepper to the courgette and mix gently until combined. Aim to distribute the ingredients evenly without turning the mixture into a mash.

When the pastry has rested, divide it into portions and roll each portion on a lightly floured surface to about 2–3mm thickness. Use a large cutter or a bowl and a knife to cut rounds roughly 10cm in diameter. Collect trimmings and knead them into the next portion of dough. The dough is delicate—handle it gently and use only enough flour to prevent sticking.

To assemble, imagine a horizontal line across a dough circle. Place a heaped tablespoon of filling just below the line and spread it to within about 1cm of the edge. Fold the top half of the dough over the filling so the edges meet, and press the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Put each assembled borek onto your prepared baking tray.

Repeat until the filling or pastry is used up. Brush the tops with beaten egg for a glossy, golden finish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the boregi are a rich golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack while you bake any remaining batches.

Serve the boregi with a crisp salad. They also work nicely with chutney or even baked beans for a simple hot meal.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how it turns out.

Buon appetito!