Israel, Middle East and Africa · Cheese Bourekas

Kimchi-Cheese Bourekas with Gochujang-Honey Glaze (Israeli × Korean)

Name: Kimchi-Cheese Bourekas with Gochujang-Honey Glaze (Israeli × Korean)
Cook time: 37 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Israel
Ingredients: Well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi 80 g; Toasted sesame oil 1 tsp; Grated low-moisture mozzarella 60 g; Feta 30 g; Spring onions 1; Frozen puff pastry, thawed 200 g; Flour for dusting 1 tbsp; Egg (for the egg wash) 1; Sesame seeds 2 tsp; Gochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1 tsp; Honey 1 tsp

Puff-pastry triangles filled with sesame-sautéed kimchi, stretchy mozzarella and feta, brushed hot from the oven with a sweet-spicy gochujang honey.

ServingsServes 2

Total cooking time37 min

DifficultyEasy

Method

Thaw the puff pastry until it bends without cracking. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
oven
Squeeze the kimchi firmly to remove its juice and chop it into 1 cm pieces. Heat the sesame oil in a 18 cm pan and stir-fry the kimchi on medium heat for to drive off the moisture. Spread it on a plate and let it cool completely; wet filling makes the pastry soggy and it bursts.
Add in this stepWell-fermented napa cabbage kimchi 80 gToasted sesame oil 1 tsp
medium heat
Mix the cooled kimchi with the mozzarella, crumbled feta and finely sliced spring onions.
Add in this stepGrated low-moisture mozzarella 60 gFeta 30 gSpring onions 1
Dust the surface, roll the pastry to 3 mm and cut 10 cm squares (6 × 10 cm). Put a tablespoon of filling in the centre of each, fold corner to corner into a triangle and press the edges firmly with a fork so no cheese escapes.
Add in this stepFrozen puff pastry, thawed 200 gFlour for dusting 1 tbsp
Beat the egg, brush it thinly over the tops only and sprinkle with sesame. Cut a small slit in each with a knife so steam can escape.
Add in this stepEgg (for the egg wash) 1Sesame seeds 2 tsp
Arrange on 1 tray(s), 4 cm apart, and bake in the oven for , until puffed and deep golden. If using two trays, swap them halfway.
oven
Mix the gochujang and honey in a small bowl and brush a thin layer over the hot bourekas. Leave for 2 to 3 minutes so the glaze sets slightly, then serve. Careful: the cheese inside is very hot.
Add in this stepGochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1 tspHoney 1 tsp

Cook's tip

The sourer the kimchi, the deeper the flavour; a pinch of sugar while stir-frying softens the sharpness. If the gochujang is very thick, loosen it with a few drops of hot water. Bake and freeze them unglazed, then glaze after reheating.

Cooking it at camp

Make the filling at home. At camp, bake in a paper-lined, lidded cast-iron Dutch oven with few coals below and more on the lid. Or bake them at home, warm them in a pan on the grill and just brush on the glaze.