Mediterranean Pork and Eggplant Bourekas

I know you are all probably asking “What is a boureka”. I didn’t know either until I made them. They are delicious pockets in puff pastry that are deep fried to perfection. Bourekas, are handheld pockets made of crisp pastry dough filled with a variety of savory ingredients and are the snack food of choice for many Israelis.

They are like Jewish empanadas and can be filled with anything you like. I filled mine with pork, so mine were not Jewish, but then neither am I. 🙂

Traditional bourekas were originally created by Turkish Jews. The Sephardi Jews who were expelled from Spain who sought refuge in the Ottoman Empire. The Sephardic Jews created a new dish which adapted börek to their kosher dietary laws, and combined it with their traditional empanadas to create bourekas. Bourekas are said to have originated in Turkey with the immigration of Sephardic Jews from Spain in the late 1400s (via Taste of Jew). It’s believed that the term is a combination of the Spanish word ’empanada’ and the Turkish word ‘borek’ meaning hand-held pie.

Pork and Eggplant Bourekas

The recipe I was inspired by called for chorizo, but I was looking for a fun, creative way to re-use my smoked pork, so that is what I added to mine instead. I also added a little brisket because I didn’t think I had enough pork for my filling. Silly me! What was I thinking? And of course I added a few other personal tweaks to make it my own dish as well. What else would you expect form me? 🙂

1 lb either cooked pork, cubed or cooked beef, cubed, or a combination thereof

1/2 eggplant, cubed

1/2 onion, diced

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

2 tomatoes, diced

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP orange zest

1/3 cup fresh cilantro and/or parsley, chopped

1 package puff pastry sheets, fully thawed according to package directions

olive oil and/or orange olive olive for cooking

season seeds

canola or avocado oil for frying

Cube all the cooked meat and set aside. If you are using chorizo, make sure it is thoroughly cooked.

Dice the tomatoes and set aside.

Dice the eggplant and onions.

Get a large pan very hot and add the oil(s). I liked the addition of a little orange olive oil as well. It made it very flavorful. Add the eggplant and salt & pepper first and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Then add the onions and garlic and continue to cook until the onions are translucent and soft.

When the eggplant and onion mixture is cooked, add the meat and mix together well. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or so.

Add the tomatoes, orange zest and cilantro and cook just long enough to heat everything up. Adjust the seasonings as needed. Drain off the excess oil and liquid.

Cut the puff pastry into squares that are about 5 inches in size. Add about 2 TBSP of filling to 1/2 the squares, leaving a little space around the edges free. Add another square on top and firmly press together. Crimp with the edge of a fork. Moisten you finger tip with a little water and seal the edges.

I let mine set for about 30 or so minutes at room temperature to proof a bit before frying them. Then get your oil to about 350*F or 180*C. You want an oil like either avocado or canola oil, that has a higher smoke point and won’t burn. Place the bourekas in the fry basket without crowding them. You might have to do them in batches. Place them in the hot oil and let them cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the dough is completely cooked.

As soon as the bourekas come out of the hot oil, sprinkle a few toasted sesame seeds on top, and enjoy. These are best eaten immediately, while they are still hot. As with any dish that has been around for such a long time, there are endless possibilities for fillings. Make them with whatever you have on hand and with whatever you like. However you decide to make them, I promise you are going to like them a lot. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.