If you’ve always eaten your bourekas as they are, I’m sure they’re delicious, but there’s a better way to enjoy the pastry parcels.

Israelis know that the fastest way to take your snack to the next level is to warm them, slice horizontally taking care not to cut through the folded side, and stuff them with slices of hard boiled eggs, pickles and a slather of spicy harissa.

Method:

• Put the defrosted spinach in a sieve over a bowl and press down to remove as much water as you can, finely chop then scrape into a medium-sized bowl.
• Add the feta, cottage cheese and grated Cheddar and mash with a fork until combined. Season with a few grinds of black pepper. It should not need salt as the cheese is salty but taste and add if you need. Set aside.
• Line an oven tray or two baking sheets with baking parchment and preheat your oven to 180°C°.
• Lay the pastry sheet out on a board and cut out fifteen 7cm x 7cm squares. The pastry I used — Jus-Rol — was 35cm x 23cm so I cut off a strip at one end and kept it to one side.
• Place a tablespoon of cheese and spinach filling on one corner of each dough square and flatten the mound slightly.
• Form the boureka by folding the other corner over to cover the side with the filling on it and to make a triangle. Press firmly along the outer open edges of the triangles to seal pushing out any air. If it won’t stick, you can brush the edges with a little egg or wet your finger with a bit of water and run it around the edge of the square before folding. You can then press along the edges with a fork to make sure they are properly stuck — and to make a nice pattern. Repeat until you have used up the pastry.
• Brush the tops of the triangles with beaten egg and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. You can brush the leftover strip with egg and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning for an extra treat.
• When you have formed all your bourekas bake them for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, puffed up, and cooked through.
• Cool on the trays on wire racks.
• To serve, when cool enough to handle, slice each boureka horizontally, leaving the folded side joined so you can open it up slightly without breaking it in two then stuff it with slices of hard-boiled egg, hot sauce and pickled cucumbers.