Bourekas are parcels of flaky filled dough that are either fried in hot oil or melted butter or baked in the oven. In Israel, bourekas with all sorts of fillings are a bakery mainstay, and the supermarkets sell frozen ones as a convenience item. Kosher supermarkets in the U.S. and elsewhere often carry them, too, but they can be hard to find otherwise. Fortunately, they're not at all hard to make at home.

This easy recipe for Israeli potato bourekas is made with purchased puff pastry for convenience and baked for a simpler preparation. Unlike the equally popular cheese boureka, these are pareve, so they can be eaten with a meat or dairy meal.

Traditional recipes often call for margarine or butter, but if you'd like to skip both, feel free to use olive oil instead. For a vegan version, skip the eggs. You will not miss them in the filling. To help the sesame seeds adhere to the pastry, lightly brush with water or soy milk before sprinkling on the seeds.