Cheese Sambousek | Cheese Borek | A restaurant-style recipe for professionals

feta cheese

🥗Healthier: ricotta cheese

💰Cheaper: cottage cheese

Ricotta is lower in fat and provides a similar creamy texture.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone cheese

Provolone is often less expensive and melts well.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a cost-effective option for frying.

butter

🥗Healthier: ghee

💰Cheaper: margarine

Margarine is a budget-friendly alternative to butter.

Combine flour, beaten egg, white vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl.

Add water as needed to create a stiff dough, starting with half a cup and adding more until elastic.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.

Add butter to the dough and knead until fully incorporated, making the dough smooth and shiny.

Cover the dough with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

In a saucepan, warm sunflower oil for a couple of seconds before adding flour to form a paste, cooking for 30 seconds.

Add 1 cup of milk and whisk constantly to remove lumps, stirring until the mixture thickens.

Add cheese to the thickened mixture and whisk over medium heat until melted.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, knock it back, and divide it into two even portions.

Roll one portion of dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.

Use a pizza cutter to score the rolled dough into squares.

Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of each square.

Make a flour slurry by combining flour and water, and brush the borders of each square.

Fold two corners over the filling to create a mini rectangle and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.

Optionally, brush the center with the flour slurry and sprinkle with nigella seeds.

Heat oil to frying temperature and fry the sambus until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping to cook both sides.

Alternatively, roll the dough into circles, fill, fold into half-moon shapes, and crimp the edges before frying.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens