Name: Water borek with butternut squash and feta
Ingredients: 250g plain flour plus 150g extra for rolling; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; 3 eggs; 15ml olive oil; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 60ml olive oil; 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped (400g); 15g picked oregano plus extra for garnish; 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 1 ½ tsp ground allspice; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 400g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into 1 ½ cm cubes; ½ tsp chilli flakes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 4 plum tomatoes, grated, skins discarded (450g); 400g feta, roughly crumbled; 30g parsley, roughly chopped; 80g unsalted butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; chilli shatta or your favourite tomato sauce; fine sea salt and black pepper

Water borek with butternut squash and feta

New

Main Weekend project

Serves 6

Prep 35 min

Cook 1 hr 40 min

This recipe was originally published with lamb but we have adopted it to make it vegetarian. Making the pastry is a labour of love but very worth it. However, you could use fresh lasagna sheets if you are short of time. To get ahead, make the filling and the pastry the day before. Just make sure to refrigerate and cover the pastry with a damp cloth to prevent the top from drying. Serve with Shatta or a tomato sauce.

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH
250g	plain flour plus 150g extra for rolling
¼ tsp	ground turmeric
3	eggs
15ml	olive oil
1 tbsp	apple cider vinegar
FOR THE FILLING
60ml	olive oil
2	onions, peeled and finely chopped (400g)
15g	picked oregano plus extra for garnish
5	garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 ½	tsp ground allspice
½ tsp	ground cinnamon
400g	butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into 1 ½ cm cubes
½ tsp	chilli flakes
1 tbsp	tomato paste
4	plum tomatoes, grated, skins discarded (450g)
400g	feta, roughly crumbled
30g	parsley, roughly chopped
FOR BRUSHING
80g	unsalted butter
2 tbsp	olive oil
TO SERVE
	chilli shatta or your favourite tomato sauce
	fine sea salt and black pepper

Method

First, make the dough. Place the flour, turmeric and 1 teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Place the eggs, olive oil and cider vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until incorporated. Turn the mixer on to medium high speed and pour in the egg mixture. Mix for 5 minutes until you get a smooth but slightly sticky dough. Remove from the bowl, shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Place a large saute pan on medium high heat and once hot, add in the oil, onions, oregano, garlic and spices with ½ tsp of salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until softened.
Add in the squash, chilli flakes and tomato paste. Cook for another 10 minutes until the squash has softened, slightly caramelised but still holding its shape. Remove from the heat and stir in the grated tomatoes with a good grind of black pepper. Set aside to cool.
Mix the feta and parsley in a bowl and set aside.
Next roll the pastry. Divide the pastry into 5 balls of about 85g and cover with a damp cloth while rolling. Flour the work surface very generously and using a rolling pin, the dough into a rectangle of about 45x30cm and 2mm in thickness. Make sure to use plenty of flour when rolling, turning the dough over and flouring when necessary. Flour the dough generously, fold in half and set aside while you continue with the rest in a similar manner.
Place a large saucepan filled with lightly salted water on medium high heat and bring to a boil. Pat any excess flour off the rolled and working in batches, lower the dough one at a time into the water. Use a large slotted spoon to submerge the dough into the water and cook for 30 seconds. Carefully remove from the water and plunge in a bowl of ice water until cool then drain in a colander set over a bowl. Continue in a similar manner until all the dough has been cooked.
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Place the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan, place on medium heat until melted. Brush a 22x30cm high sided rectangular tray generously with the butter and arrange one of the pastry on top, making sure that there is no overhang. Drizzle generously with the butter mixture and scatter over ⅓ of each the squash and feta mixture. Continue two more times until the filling has been used up. Place the remaining two pieces of pastry on top, scrunching them up so they have a wavy appearance and drizzle with the butter mixture.
Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes until golden all over and the top is crispy. Serve hot.