Eggplant, Beets with Feta Bourekas

Michael Solomonov

Eggplant

(for 20 guests)
4 medium eggplants, cut into thick rounds
2 tablespoons kosher salt
About 12 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Sprinkle the eggplant slices with the salt and let stand for 30 minutes on paper towels or a rack.
• Film the bottom of a large skillet with oil and set over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering and not crowding, add the eggplant slices in a single layer. cook until almost black on the first side. Turn and repeat on the other side, adding more oil as needed. Remove from the pan.
• Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, the red pepper, onion, coriander, and paprika to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft but not brown. Add the eggplant and vinegar to the pan, breaking up the eggplant and mashing it coarsely with a wooden spoon until well combined. Cook until the vinegar has evaporated. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and lemon juice.

Beets

(for 20 guests)
10 cups plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
16 medium beets
1 cup prepared tehina
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
4 tablespoons fresh mint

• Preheat oven to 375. Spread 2 cups of the salt on a sheet tray. Put beets on the salt and cover with the remaining 8 cups salt. Bake until the beets are tender, about 90 minutes
• When they are cool enough to handle, peel, and set aside to cool completely.
• Grate the beets into a mixing bowl. Add the prepared tehina, oil, lemon juice, dill, and mint and season with salt. Mix will to blend.

Boreka Dough

(makes 3 pastry sheets, 1 sheet makes about 8 borekas)
6 ½ cups all –purpose flour
2 tablespoons kosher salt
¼ cup white vinegar
2 1/3 cup seltzer water
3 ¾ (15 ounces) butter, softened

• Combine the flour, salt, and vinegar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low while adding the seltzer in a slow, steady stream. Continue mixing until the dough begins to pull away from the sides and bottom of the mixer, about 2 minutes.
• Flour a work surface and knead the dough by hand just until it feels smooth and homogenous, about a minute. Cover with a clean cotton cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Working with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a rough ¼ inch thick rectangle with a long side facing you. (It should be a t least 20 by 15 inches.) Spread half the butter evenly across the middle third of the dough rectangle. Fold the left third of the doubh over the butter, then fold the right third over the left third (they’ll overlap). Fold the top and bottom edges toward the center the same way, forming a square. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Flour a work surface. Orient the dough square so that it’s turned 90 degrees from the first time you folded it (that is, with the folded ends on the sides). Roll the chilled dough out to a ¼ inch thick rectangle (again, about 20 by 15 inches). Spread the rest of the butter evenly across the middle third of the rectangle. Fold the sides over the butter, and fold the top and bottom toward the center, forming the square. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Flour a work surface. Orient the dough square so that it’s turned 90 degrees from the last fold and roll the chilled dough out to a ¼ inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding process, folding the sides into the center and then folding the top and bottom towards the center to make a square (this time don’t add more butter). Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each piece into a 10 by 15 inch sheet to use. Make sure to keep the dough cold at all times (except when you are working with it).
• Filled borekas can be frozen before baking. In that case, put them directly in a preheated 425 degree oven, don’t thaw first.
• Don’t refrigerate baked borekas. They’ll keep at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat in a 325 degree oven for 5 minutes.