Kris Jenner’s Cheese Borags Recipe

If you look at my family tree, you’ll find CiCi on the Kardashian side. (She is Robert’s first cousin.) But if you studied our relationship, you’d see the two of us are as close as sisters. Through the ups and downs of my life, CiCi and I have stayed the best of friends. (It was CiCi who told American Airlines I was retiring when I couldn’t work up the nerve to do it myself.) 

CiCi is always cool under pressure, as I’ve learned many times over the course of our forty-year friendship. Her borags are a family tradition. They were always a hit at Nana Kardashian’s barbecues (and my kids love them). 

The folding part can be tricky at first, but it just takes a little practice. Give them a try. They’re so worth the effort. 

Serve as hors d’oeuvres. Some borags use just Jack cheese, but this recipe has 3 types of cheeses, including ricotta salata (a firm, aged ricotta cheese), and 3 herbs for a truly great filling. Don’t let the phyllo scare you. Use a soft-bristle pastry brush to avoid tearing the phyllo; some cooks even use a brush fashioned from large feathers! 

To avoid the thin pastry sheets from sticking together, thaw frozen phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator. If thawed at room temperature, condensation can form, and the added moisture can make the sheets stick together.  

Makes: 56 
Prep time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

for the filling: 
3 cups|260 grams shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup|125 grams crumbled feta cheese
1 cup|100 grams shredded ricotta salata cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill 
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint 
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
2 large eggs, beaten
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

for the pastry:
½ package|225 grams|18 sheets phyllo, thawed
¾ cup|170 grams unsalted butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the monterey jack, feta, ricotta salata, dill, mint, parsley, eggs, and pepper. 
3. Unroll the phyllo sheets and stack on the work surface. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and a damp kitchen towel to keep the sheets from drying out. 
4. Place a phyllo sheet, with the short side facing you, on the work surface. Using a soft pastry brush, gently brush the sheet with the melted butter. 
5. Using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife, cut the phyllo sheet into thirds lengthwise. 
6. Place a teaspoon of the filling on the bottom of one strip, about a half inch from the bottom and slightly off center. 
7. Starting at the right bottom corner of the strip, fold the phyllo strip over to cover the filling to meet the opposite long side of the strip. Lightly press down on the filled phyllo triangle to spread the filling. 
8. Fold the phyllo triangle up, then over to the other side, continuing in a flag-folding fashion to form a filled triangle-shaped borag. 
9. Transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining two phyllo strips. 
10. Starting from step 4, continue with the remaining phyllo sheets, butter, and filling, placing the borags about a half-inch apart on the baking sheets. 
11. Brush the tops of the triangles with the remaining clarified butter and bake until the borags are golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. 

Note: The borags can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours or covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 1 day. Reheat in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes. 

Excerpted from IN THE KITCHEN WITH KRIS by Kris Jenner. Copyright © ​2019 by Kris Jenner. Reprinted by permission of Pocket, a Gallery Books imprint, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. 

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