Turkish Cheese Pastries

Turkish Cheese Pastries
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Recipe courtesy of Plated: A lifetime love affair with food by Tina Duncan, Camberdown Press, RRP $60.00

I can’t remember a family event, whether a wedding, a funeral or a birthday, when these pastries haven’t been served. We’ve been making them so long they are affectionately known among us as TCPs.

Makes approx. 48 | Prep time: 1 hr 30mins | Cook time: 20min

Turkish Cheese PastriesIngredients

  • 250g feta
  • 250g cheddar cheese
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tblsp chopped chives
  • 2 tblsp chopped parsley
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ¾ tsp garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2x recipe of Cream Cheese Pastry, see below
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten— for egg wash

Method

Crumble the feta into a bowl with the cheddar, salt, pepper, chives, parsley, turmeric, and garlic. Mix. Add the beaten egg and mix well.

Roll out pastry to 3mm. Cut into 8cm squares and place a teaspoon of mix in the centre of each square. Slightly dampen the edges of the pastry with a pastry brush and water. Pull each corner up to the middle and pinch sides together to enclose filling. Chill until ready to cook.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Brush pastries with egg wash. Bake 20 minutes on a lined baking tray until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm

TIPS

• These pastries can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

• They can also be cooked straight from the freezer. Free flow pastries by spreading on a baking sheet and freezing. Store in a bag in the freezer until required.

• Recipe can be successfully halved.

Cream Cheese Pastry

Makes: 580g

Prep time: 1 hr 10mins including rest time

Ingredients

  • 285 g flour
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 125 g cream cheese, chopped into 5 or 6 pieces
  • 170g butter, chopped into small, even-sized squares
  • 2 tblsp iced water
  • 1 tblsp cider vinegar

Method

Combine flour and baking powder in bowl of food processor and pulse. Add cream cheese. Process until coarsely chopped. Add butter and process until butter is the size of small peas. Add water and vinegar and process until mix just begins to come together.

Tip onto a lightly floured board and gently knead together by hand. Work into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand. Wrap in cling film and rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

TIPS

• A versatile pastry that can be used for sweet or savoury uses

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