Feta and Kale Börek (Printable)

Golden filo tart layered with feta cheese, ricotta, and wilted kale—a Turkish-inspired vegetarian delight.

# Ingredient List:

→ Vegetables

01 - 8.8 oz fresh kale, stems removed, chopped
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

04 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled
05 - 3.5 oz ricotta cheese

→ Pastry

06 - 8 sheets filo pastry

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 3 large eggs
08 - 3.4 fl oz whole milk
09 - 1.7 fl oz olive oil, plus extra for brushing

→ Herbs & Spices

10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch tart or pie dish with olive oil.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft and translucent, approximately 4 minutes. Add garlic and kale, cooking until kale is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and 1.7 fl oz olive oil together. Stir in feta, ricotta, black pepper, nutmeg, dill, and salt. Fold in the cooled kale mixture until evenly distributed.
04 - Lay one sheet of filo in the prepared dish with edges overhanging. Brush lightly with olive oil. Repeat with 3 additional sheets, brushing each with oil and rotating slightly for even coverage.
05 - Spoon the kale and cheese filling evenly over the filo base, spreading to the edges.
06 - Cover with the remaining 4 filo sheets, brushing each with oil and tucking in the edges to seal the tart completely. Score the top gently into slice portions if desired.
07 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
08 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filo turns impossibly crisp and shatters like glass when you cut through it, while the filling stays soft and tangy.
  • Kale holds its texture better than spinach and adds a slightly earthy flavor that balances the salty feta beautifully.
  • It looks impressive enough for guests but is forgiving enough that even uneven filo layers still bake up gorgeously.
  • Leftovers reheat surprisingly well in a hot oven, keeping that crunch intact for next day lunch.
02 -
  • If your filo tears while layering, don't panic, just patch it with another piece and brush over it with oil, no one will ever know once it bakes.
  • Always let the kale mixture cool completely before adding it to the eggs and cheese, hot greens will cook the eggs and turn your filling into scrambled chunks.
  • Don't skip brushing oil between every single filo sheet, that's what creates the shatteringly crisp layers instead of a dense, chewy mass.
  • If the top starts browning too quickly, tent a piece of foil loosely over the dish for the last 10 minutes of baking.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to slice through the crisp filo cleanly without shattering it into a million pieces.
  • If you want extra richness, brush the top layer with melted butter instead of olive oil for a deeper golden color and slightly richer flavor.
  • Taste your feta before you add salt to the filling, some brands are much saltier than others and you can easily overdo it.
  • Let the börek sit for a full 10 minutes after baking, cutting into it too soon will cause the creamy filling to run out and make serving messy.
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