Savoury Green Lentil Pastry
The old story of Lentil
Lentils are one of the miraculous foods of Anatolia. Easily cultivated and stored, this plant-based protein source has been a valuable nutrition during times of scarcity. The people of Anatolia have shown great care in cultivating lentils and have made them an indispensable part of their cuisine, enhancing them with various flavours.
You can find many of these delicious dishes in Istanbul's culinary culture. This savoury pastry recipe is a cherished legacy passed down from my mother's side to our home.
A crunchy protein powerhouse! Green lentil pastry is a vegetarian dish rich in protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Green lentil paste gives this pastry a full meaty taste and a soft, satisfactory texture. Caramelized onion completes this gourmet flavour with sweetness; Moreover, the spices activate all your taste buds for a pleasing experience.
Loaded nutrition makes it a great choice for the winter. It is also a very healthy and convenient snack for your summer picnics and adventures into nature! Try this savoury, comforting taste...you will love it!
SAVOURY GREEN LENTIL PASTRY: A delicious plant-based protein options
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Ingredients
For the Filling:
3 cups (~570 g) green lentil
4-5 (~1400 g) large onions
9 cups water for boiling
½ cup olive oil
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp cuminFor making the pastry:
2 packets medium thick phyllo*
1 cup grape seed oil**
½ cup water
¼ cup poppy seeds or black cumin seeds
Notes from the Kitchen
*Packet phyllo have diverse thickness based on its using area. Pastries (börek) needs slightly thicker phyllos as filling has its own juice while desserts require thinner phyllos.
You can also prepare your own pyhllo, following “Phyllo for pastry” instructions.
**I prefer refined vegetable oil for pastries to provide a crispy texture. You can use any other available refined vegetable oil for a similar result.
Directions
THE FILLING
Submerge 3 cups of green lentils into 4-5 liters of water, leave for 5-10 minutes. Then, drain and rinse with running water.
Boil 9 cups of water in a pot, add the soaked green lentils. When the water starts boiling again, lower the heat to medium low and cook for 50-60 minutes while mixing from time to time.
Once the lentils have completely softened, turn off the heat. Cover the pot and let the lentil puree cool down to room temperature.
Dice the onions and stir them with 1/2 cup of olive oil for 8-10 minutes on medium high heat. This will caramelize the onion and give your filling a rich flavour.
Combine the cooled green lentil puree and caramelized onions in a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp of salt, 1 tbsp of coriander, 1 tbsp of black pepper, 1/2 tbsp of cumin, and 1 tbsp of paprika.
Then, thoroughly mix the ingredients.
Your filling is ready!
FORMING THE PASTRY
Pour 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of grape seed oil into two separate bowls. We will use these two liquids between the phyllo layers to increase the crunchiness and softness.
With medium thick phyllo, I used 2 phyllo sheets for each pastry roll. If your phyllo is thicker, you can use 1 sheet. If it is thinner, then you can use 3 layers of phyllo to achieve a similar texture.
First, coat the phyllo with 1-2 tbsp of grape seed oil. Then, scatter 1 tbsp of water.
Place the filling along the long edge of the phyllo. Then, roll 2 phyllo sheets together and snuggle the rolls into an oven tray.
Once all the phyllos are rolled, coat the rolls with the remaining grapeseed oil and water. Sprinkle with poppy seeds or black cumin seeds.
You can also prepare phyllos as smaller triangles and prepare separately rolled pastries for portioning and easy serving.
BAKING
Bake the pastries in a 400 ℉ (or 200 ℃) oven for 25-30 minutes, until their colour turns a golden brown.
SERVING
Enjoy this crunchy powerhouse!
Green lentil pastry is a vegetarian dish rich in protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. It is loaded with nutrition and a great choice for the winter. It is also a very healthy and convenient snack for your summer picnics and adventures into nature!
Try this savoury, comforting taste...you will love it!
Enjoy healthy comforts!
