Thanksgiving Bourekas

Got Thanksgiving leftovers? Turn them into Thanksgiving Bourekas! Stuffed with mashed potatoes, turkey and brussels sprouts and dipped in cranberry mustard.

I like Thanksgiving food. I’m down for some dark meat turkey with crispy skin, super-rich mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. But love? I wouldn’t go that far. I reserve love for an epic bagel, lox and schmear or the perfect slice of pizza or my boyfriend (not in that order). Back when I lived in Austin, I would help host epic Friendsgivings every year for friends with nowhere to go (and sometimes with actual places to go that weren’t as fun as our parties). Which turned out to be about 30 people every year. I made a turkey and Bourbon and Coffee Braised Brisket and there was a DJ and a photo booth and it’s just the best warm fuzzy feeling (that may be the bourbon talking) ever. So I guess I love Thanksgiving itself, but the food is not the only reason.

But do you know what I do love? All those Thanksgiving leftovers betwixt a sliced crusty roll to make the most epic sandwich ever. Layers of turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, maybe a little stuffing, and dunked in gravy for kicks. Pumpkin pie for breakfast (it’s a vegetable, don’t fight me on that) and that sandwich for lunch, and I’m a happy girl.

This year we plan to get Peking Duck at a local Chinese restaurant since it will just be the two of us. And it’s hard to make brisket for two. But if you’re wondering, I did make a mini Thanksgiving meal in early November just to make these leftover bourekas.

Feel free to get creative with the fillings, of course. Stuffing or mashed sweet potatoes would be FABULOUS. Green beans instead of brussels sprouts, divine.

I recently fell back in love with bourekas at my brother’s wife’s parents’ house. Her Israeli mom had some warm potato bourekas waiting for us and I was just so impressed she whipped them up!

Her secret? She makes a ton, and freezes them unbaked. Then just toss them in the oven right out of the freezer at 350 for about 40 minutes or until cooked through. Genius.

You could also dunk these in gravy, wouldn’t that be amazing??

What’s your favorite boureka filling? Let’s get creative!

Thanksgiving Bourekas

Amy Kritzer

Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Make Thanksgiving Bourekas! This recipe can easily be doubled.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Jewish

Servings 9

Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup minced roasted turkey
• 1/4 cup diced roasted brussels sprouts
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 piece of puff pastry defrosted
• Flour for dusting
• 1 egg whisked
• Sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
• 2 tablespoons deli mustard

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together mashed potatoes, turkey and brussels sprouts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can throw a little stuffing and/or gravy in there too!
• On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to about 12x12 inches and slice into 9 even squares.
• Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling on each square. I like mine packed!
• Fold over to make a triangle and secure the seam. I used a fork to press down lightly to make them extra secure.
• Place the bourekas evenly spaced out on the baking sheet, use a pastry brush to wash with the egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown and crispy.
• While the bourekas are baking, combine cranberry sauce and mustard in a blender (or by hand) until uniform.
• Serve bourekas hot from the oven with cranberry mustard!
• You can also freeze the bourekas before baking (and before the egg wash) and cook directy from the freezer at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.