Deliciously Accidental Butternut Squash Chorizo & Sage Börek

Sometimes, the most delicious recipes arise from a dash of spontaneity and a sprinkle of creativity. This is how this Butternut Squash Chorizo & Sage Börek came to life in my kitchen. What began as a plan for a Butternut Squash, Sage & Bacon Tart quickly turned into a crispy, savoury börek, thanks to a few unexpected ingredients I discovered while exploring my fridge.

The Accidental Inspiration

It all began with a simple grocery list at the beginning of the week. I envisioned making a tart filled with creamy ricotta, earthy sage, and smoky bacon. But as ever, I am very easily swayed by random fridge finds into another entirely different recipe and upon opening my fridge, the sight of filo pastry caught my eye, and I'm not going to lie, it was calling me.

A quick further rummage also revealed said butternut squash, a red onion, some ricotta, spicy chorizo, feta cheese and some preserved peppers. Suddenly, the idea of a börek took shape. The blend of sweet butternut squash, spicy chorizo, and creamy cheese seemed like a match made in culinary heaven.

One of the best parts about cooking is the ability to adapt based on what you have available. This accidental börek perfectly demonstrates how a bit of creativity can lead to something truly delicious. This could so easily become a vegetarian dish by omitting the chorizo and adding some paprika into the mix.

 Butternut Squash Chorizo & Sage Börek - The Recipe

Recipe

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 500g)

• 200g chorizo, diced (approximately 1 cup)

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• 250g ricotta cheese

• 100g feta cheese, crumbled

• 1 jarred pepper, chopped

• Fresh sage leaves, chopped (about 10 leaves)

• 8 sheets of filo pastry

• Olive oil or melted butter for brushing

• Sesame seeds for sprinkling

• Salt and pepper to taste

  
  

This list is adaptable, so feel free to swap out ingredients based on what you have on hand, such as using spinach for an extra green touch.

Method

The first step in this accidental culinary adventure is preparing the filling. Start by preheating your oven to 200°C (400°F).

Tip the diced chorizo into a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt. Roast in the oven for 25 mins until tender.

In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, which should take about 3-4 minutes.

Next, toss in the chorizo. The chorizo releases its flavourful oils, infusing the filling with a delightful smokiness. Cook for another 5 minutes to meld the flavours, then remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, mash the roasted butternut squash into the ricotta with a fork to roughly combine, Mix in the onions, chorizo, feta, jarred pepper and chopped sage. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Assembling the Börek

Now comes the fun part—assembling the börek.

Lay out one sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface and brush it lightly with olive oil or melted butter. Place another sheet on top and repeat the brushing process. Repeat the process with 2 more sheets, but lay them slightly over lapping the edge of the other pastry sheets, you are aiming to create a longer sheet of pastry to roll in to a snake shape.

Spoon a generous amount of the filling along one edge of the pastry, then roll it up tightly, forming a log. You can either leave it as a log or coil it into a spiral shape for a more traditional börek look.

Place the assembled börek on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the top with additional olive oil or butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds for that extra crunch.

Baking to Perfection

Once your Börek is ready, pop it into the preheated oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. The aroma wafting through your kitchen will be irresistible—it's hard to resist diving in right away!