Author Notes: The ingredients of this dish are cheap and simple but the spices make this dish.
Use whole spices which you crush in a mortar, this way the taste is much more intense. By making your own spice blends you can give your signature to a dish.
Vegetarians can make the dish without the sardines.
Vegans can omit the fish and use (whole wheat) filo pastry instead of the whole wheat short crust pastry. Brush the layers of filo with oil before you stuff them.
I imagine next time I make this vegan variation, to sprinkle sesame seeds and black cumin between the filo pastry leafs, or even add some of the spice mixture to it.
—Janneke Verheij
Makes: 6
Ingredients
Ingredients
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4
big white onions
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1
(pack of 6) whole wheat short crust pastry squares
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1
small can sardines in oil (3/4 small sardines)
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1/2
teaspoon orange blossom water
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1
tablespoon balsamico vinegar
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1
tablespoon tomatopuree
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4
tablespoons tomatosauce
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1/2
teaspoon grated orange peel
Spice blend
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1
tablespoon sweet paprika powder
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2
sprigs thyme
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4
dried small chili’s
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1
teaspoon coriander seeds
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1/2
teaspoon cumin seeds
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1/4
teaspoon caraway seeds
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1
clove
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2
big cardamom pods
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1
pinch cinnamon
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1
pinch salt
Directions
- Cut the onions in half moons and caramelize them in some olive oil.
- Put the clove and cardamom seeds in the mortar and grind them, now add the other spices and grind some more. It doesn’t have to become all dust; it’s nice to find some half or whole seeds here and there.
- Add the spices to the onion, also add the orange peel, tomato sauce and paste, orange blossom water and the balsamico vinegar.
- Let the mixture bake for another two minutes so the spices and the onion become close friends. In the end add the sardines, break them with a spatula in some big pieces and mix shortly.
- Defreeze the pastry squares and fill them with the mixture. Bake the Boreka’s in a 200C oven until golden brown.
/7af6e537-efbf-4699-9785-889653d4807f--IMG_2995.JPG "Fragrant Onion Boreka's 2")
