Grandma's Armenian Coffee
I have great memories of drinking Armenian coffee at my grandma’s kitchen table.
Jeanne Andelman’s Cheese Boreg Casserole
Aunt Jeanne was my late grandma Florence’s niece; we share Beatrice and Harry as ancestors. Beatrice was born in Aintab, Turkey in 1897. She married Harry Shirejian at age 13 and survived unimaginable circumstances before reuniting with him in America.
Jeanne’s mom, Shirley Miles, was a lively Texan who married my grandma’s brother, George. Committed to learning Armenian home cooking, Shirley spent considerable time with Beatrice learning how to recreate George’s childhood favorites in faraway Texas.
Reconnecting with Aunt Jeanne through this project has been a rich experience, for both palate and soul – kind of like this eating this cheese boreg!
Jeanne Andelman’s Cheese Boreg Casserole
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Yield:
24 slices of cheese boreg
Prep time:
1h15
Cook time:
45min
Total time:
2h
INGREDIENTS
| 1/4 | cup Mazola or Canola oil |
|---|---|
| 16 | sheets of Phyllo dough (9 x 13 inches) |
| 3 | cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated |
| 1 | parsley bouquet, finely chopped |
| 1/4 | tsp red pepper flakes |
| 1 | Pinch of cumin, optional |
| 2 | eggs, beaten (divided) |
| 1 | cup whole milk |
TOOLS
- 9X 13-inch baking dish
- Pastry basting brush and spatula
- Sharp knife or, better yet, an electric carving knife
INSTRUCTIONS
| 1. | Combine the jack cheese, parsley, red pepper flakes and 1 egg (beaten) in a medium bowl and set aside. |
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| 2. | Using the basting brush, coat the bottom of the baking dish with oil. |
| 3. | Line the buttered dish with a sheet of the phyllo dough, and lightly baste the top with the oil. |
| 4. | Repeat this process seven times, for a total of eight layers. |
| 5. | Spoon the filling onto the phyllo dough and use a spatula to distribute the filling into an even layer that extends to all four corners of the dish. |
| 6. | Add another eight layers of phyllo dough, basting each lightly. |
| 7. | Using the electric carving knife, or a very sharp knife, score the pastry into squares or diamonds. (Use the thumb and index figure of your free hand to hold the pastry down as you cut. |
| 8. | In a small bowl, combine the milk with the other beaten egg. |
| 9. | Pour the mixture evenly over the cut pastry in the dish. |
| 10. | Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until golden brown. |
| 11. | Let the dish cool slightly, then score it again, slice and serve warm. |
NOTES
| 1. | You can use melted butter instead of oil, but we noticed a better rise in the pastry with the oil. |
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| 2. | To make diamonds, cut the pastry along diagonal lines, rather than perpendicular ones. |