Meatless Mondays = Borekas

I recently came across 'Meatless Mondays', an international campaign encouraging people to cut meat out once a week for environmental and health reasons. We eat organic chicken and organic red meat at least 2-3 times a week and I'm not concerned about our meat consumption. I think meat and chicken are very nutritious if they are organic. But, it was a good reason to prepare a less elaborate dinner, and it was nice to have a lighter, vegetarian meal.
I used one of my favourite recipes to make Spinach and cheese borekas, accompanied by pumpkin soup.

Every time I've made these borekas (probably a dozen times), they have been delicious. They are great because:
- you can use frozen puff pastry and frozen spinach which is always in my freezer
- you can use ricotta or cottage cheese
- they make the house smell amazing
- people think you are really smart for making something with pastry
- they are DELICIOUS

Here's my recipe, amalgamated from several others.
1. Thaw several sheets of puff pastry on your kitchen bench. Lay out separately.
2. Chop and slowly saute one whole onion in a little bit of butter. Cook on low until caramelised.
3. Defrost the spinach (cooktop or in the microwave)
4. Once thawed, mix the spinach with a tub of ricotta or cottage cheese (either are fine).
5. Mix in the lovely caramelised onion
6. You can also add fresh dill which is delicious.
7. Season with salt and peppper, combine mixture well.
8. With a sharp knife, cut each sheet into four squares.
9. Place 1 x tablespoon of mixture into each square. Not too much or it will bubble over while cooking.
10. Roll up into triangle, or I find rectangular shape easier. Pinch edges.
11. Lay each roll on oven tray lined with baking paper.
12. Brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
13. Cook in hot oven at 180degrees celsius for about 20 minutes.
14. Allow to cool on rack, these babies will be hot inside.
15. Enjoy!

I often make these for a brunch, parcooking them in the oven the night before when the girls are sleeping, and then browning in the oven the next day for 10 minutes. I have also made these with Yasmin and she can make the whole thing, putting mixture on the squares, folding pastry, the egg and sesame etc.

You will be so proud and feel like a real cook!