Swiss Chard Bourek

This is the North-African version of spanakopita with swiss chard, in which I substituted Emmental cheese with feta cheese. I find it is creamier and goes best with the earthy flavour of the swiss chard.
I already posted a bourek (meat filled) recipe with filo pastry and meat filling.

For 20 boureks
Ingredients
1 bunch swiss chard (stems removed) washed, chopped and blanched
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
3-4 garlic cloves crushed (or less to taste)
3 eggs
Salt, pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1.5 cup feta, crumbled
10 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo pastry sheets, thawed if frozen.
Lemon wedges for serving

Directions

The filling

1. Sauté the onion with 2 Tbs olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat until translucent, around 10 minutes.
2. Add the crushed garlic , salt and spices and saute for another minute. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
3. Add the 2 Tbs olive oil. Squeeze the swiss chard from excess of water and chop. Add to the pan. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper and continue cooking around 10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed, stirring from time to time.
4. Combine the eggs,  parsley and cheese and add to the pan.  Mix and cook until just set.
5. Remove from heat and let cool. This step is very important.

Assembling

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave.
3. Before you start : the Phyllo sheets need to be kept covered at all times with a damp towel. Have it ready for use. 
4. Take 10 phyllo pastry sheets from the pack and arrange in front of you with a long side nearest you. Cut the sheets in two, crosswise. We we will use ½ phyllo sheet per bourek/triangle. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. 
5. Take one piece and brush it lightly with the melted butter. Put a tablespoon of filling in the center, about 1-inch from the edge of the sheet near you; wrap the filling by folding the two phyllo edges over. You obtain a rectangle. Brush with butter. Fold one corner diagonally over  to form a triangle; continue folding to the left then to the right, like a flag, keeping the triangle shape. Moisten the edge to seal it.
6. Brush the top with butter and set on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat step 5 with the remaining filling.
7. Bake triangles in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

 

Note:You can make the filling ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

Vegetarian Stuffed Red Peppers

These peppers are stuffed with rice, grated potatoes and cheese, and topped with a seasoned tomato sauce.

This is my mother's recipe, which is my husband's favorite since he loves potatoes and doesn't like meat too much. Usually I make it in the oven, mostly in summer time, but I wanted to try my new slowcooker (this is my third recipe using it). I prepared them in the morning and let them cook for 6.5 hours. It was torture all day: the aroma of the potatoes and cheese and tomato filled the whole house. It was very difficult to wait until they were done.

I had only 4 peppers in my fridge so I added 2 potatoes. The ingredients are simple: you can use both rice and potatoes or just one or the other.

I like to char the peppers to give them that smoky flavour, but you can skip this step, if you wish.

Ingredients
4 large red peppers (tops and seeds removed)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter
Olive oil to drizzle

Stuffing:
2 medium grated potatoes
1 ½ cup cooked rice
1 egg
2 garlic cloves
Salt & pepper
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chopped parsley if available
1 cup grated cheese (emmenthal or Jarlsberg)

Directions

1. Char the peppers on the BBQ or in the oven broiler just enough to give them a smoky flavour, turning them once or twice during roasting. The whole process should take no more than 10 minutes. The longer they roast the softer they get: you do not want that to happen. The peppers should stay firm. Set aside
   
2. In a big bowl, mix 1 tbsp of butter with the rice still warm. Add the grated potatoes, crushed garlic cloves, egg, parsley and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
3. Generously butter the bottom and side of the slow cooker.
4. Divide the filling among the peppers
5. Place the peppers in the slow cooker. Add a round 1/2 tsp butter on top of each pepper.
6. Pour tomato sauce around the peppers. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil.
7. Cover and cook on low for 6.5 hours.

See how beautiful it is when it's cooking!




Bon Appetit!