Burek (Serbian Coiled Meat Pie)
Local name: бурек
In short: Thin filo rolled around spiced beef and onion, coiled in a round pan and baked until golden and shatteringly crisp on top, soft and rich inside. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 630 kcal
In Serbia, burek means a coiled pie of paper-thin pastry around minced beef and onion, bought warm from a bakery at breakfast and eaten with cold drinking yogurt. Home cooks usually buy ready-made filo and shape the pie in a round pan. The ropes of pastry bake into a crisp spiral with soft, juicy centers. Plan on a messy, greasy-fingered and very happy breakfast.
Instructions
- Heat the filling oil in a large pan and cook the onions over medium heat for 7 minutes until soft. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up lumps, until browned and fairly dry. Cool completely.
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Grease a 30 cm (12 in) round baking pan or ovenproof skillet. Whisk the 125 ml oil and sparkling water together in a bowl.
- Stack 2 filo sheets with a long edge facing you and keep the rest under a damp towel. Brush the top sheet lightly with the oil mixture.
- Spoon one-sixth of the filling in a thin line along the long edge, about 4 cm (1.5 in) in from the edge. Roll the pastry up tightly into a long rope.
- Coil the rope loosely in the center of the pan like a snail. Make five more ropes the same way, joining each to the end of the coil until the pan is full.
- Brush the whole pie generously with the remaining oil mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
- Let the burek rest for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges with a sharp serrated knife and serve warm with yogurt.
Tips
- Keep the filo covered with a damp towel while you work. The sheets dry and crack within minutes.
- For a cheese burek, swap the beef for 400 g (14 oz) crumbled white brined cheese beaten with 2 eggs. Skip the salt, because the cheese is already salty.
Questions and answers
Can I use puff pastry for burek?
No. Burek needs thin filo (yufka) sheets that bake into crisp, papery layers. Puff pastry gives a heavier, bready result.
How do I reheat burek?
Reheat slices in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 to 12 minutes to bring back the crunch. A microwave makes the pastry soft.
What do Serbians drink with burek?
Cold plain drinking yogurt is the classic partner. Its sourness cuts through the richness of the pastry.
How long does it take to make Burek (Serbian Coiled Meat Pie)?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Burek (Serbian Coiled Meat Pie)?
About 630 kcal per serving, with 24 g of protein, 60 g of carbohydrates and 34 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 630 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 60 g |
| Fat | 34 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 750 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
