Albanian cheese triangles
Ela, a native of Albania, taught us how to make
byrek, an Albanian filled pastry. It is made with several layers of a simple
dough rolled thinly by hand and filled with a mixture of salty cheese, milk and
egg. Serve these warm or at room temperature with a chopped salad for lunch, or
make bite-size ones for hors d’oeuvres. They’re also a perfect picnic food.
Makes 12
Preparation 40min
Cooking 45min
Skill level Mid
Ingredients:
-
160 g all-purpose flour, plus
more for shaping
-
pinch of kosher salt
-
90 ml warm water
-
90 ml extra-virgin olive
oil
-
2 large eggs
-
225 g crumbled feta cheese
-
60 ml whole milk
Cook's notes:
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using
fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian
tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup
equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly
packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All
eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
Directions:
Cooling time 15 minutes
Put the flour, salt, water, and 1½
tablespoons of the olive oil in a large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon
until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and
knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, soft, and doesn’t stick to your
fingers, about 5 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl you mixed it in and let
rest.
Meanwhile, crack 1 of the eggs into a small bowl and
whisk lightly. Whisk in the feta, milk, and 1 scant tablespoon of the olive
oil.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a rimmed baking
sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work
surface. Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces (each weighing about 93 g).
Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep the rest covered with plastic
wrap), use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin 30 cm square. If
the dough resists as you’re rolling it, let it rest for a few minutes before
proceeding.
Drizzle the square with 1 scant tablespoon of the
olive oil and use your fingers to spread it over the entire surface of the
dough. Cut the dough into 4 even strips, each measuring about 7.5 cm wide.
Set a strip vertically with a short end facing you. Put 1½ tablespoons of
the feta filling at the top end of the strip, about 2.5 cm down from the top
and 2.5 cm in from the right edge. Lift the upper left-hand corner of the
dough and fold it down and diagonally over the filling to meet the right edge
of the dough and form a triangle. Now fold the triangle of covered filling down
toward you, thus encasing the triangle in another layer of dough. Then fold
that triangle over on the diagonal to line up with the left side of the dough
strip. Continue with these two motions, like folding a flag, to encase the
triangle in more layers of dough until you reach the end of the strip. Put the
triangle, seam side down, onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat the entire
process with the remaining dough, olive oil, and filling until you use
everything up. You will have 12 triangles by the time you’re done. Evenly space
the triangles on the baking sheet.
Crack the remaining egg into a small bowl and beat
lightly. Brush the triangles with the egg.
Bake the triangles, rotating the baking sheet front
to back halfway through the baking time, until they’re golden brown, 45
minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
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