Feta and Kale Börek (Print)

Crisp filo tart filled with feta cheese and seasonal kale, inspired by traditional Turkish flavors.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 8.8 oz fresh kale, stems removed, chopped
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled
05 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese

→ Pastry

06 - 8 sheets filo pastry

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 3.4 fl oz whole milk
09 - 1.7 fl oz olive oil, plus extra for brushing

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart or pie dish with olive oil.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and chopped kale, cooking until kale is completely wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and 1.7 fl oz olive oil until well combined. Fold in crumbled feta, ricotta, black pepper, nutmeg, fresh dill, and sea salt. Gently incorporate the cooled kale mixture into the custard.
04 - Place one sheet of filo in the prepared dish, allowing edges to extend beyond the rim. Brush lightly with olive oil. Repeat with 3 additional sheets, brushing each layer with oil and rotating slightly for even coverage.
05 - Distribute the kale and cheese filling evenly over the filo base layer.
06 - Cover filling with the remaining 4 filo sheets, brushing each with olive oil. Tuck edges inward to seal the tart completely. Score the top surface gently into serving portions if desired.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes until pastry is crisp and deep golden brown.
08 - Allow tart to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and plating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filo pastry gets impossibly crisp and golden while the filling stays creamy and deeply satisfying, giving you contrasting textures in every bite.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, but so rich and elegant that no one will miss meat, making it perfect for mixed dinner tables.
  • You can prep everything ahead and bake it fresh just before guests arrive, which means you're actually relaxed when people show up.
02 -
  • The filo must be brushed generously with oil or it will bake up tough and bitter instead of golden and shatteringly crisp—this is non-negotiable and worth using good olive oil for.
  • If you skip the cooling step after sautéing the kale, the hot vegetables will scramble your eggs and create a curdled texture instead of a creamy custard.
  • Feta on its own can make the filling grainy, but mixing it with ricotta creates a smooth, luxurious texture that actually improves after it cools slightly.
03 -
  • Buy your filo pastry from a store that keeps it frozen properly—old or thawed filo will tear and crumble no matter how carefully you handle it, so this genuinely matters.
  • The secret to pastry that shatters instead of bends is brushing each layer individually rather than brushing all the sheets at once, which lets each layer crisp up separately in the oven.
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