Chushki Byurek (Bulgarian Fried Peppers Stuffed with Cheese)
Local name: Чушки бюрек
In short: Roasted red peppers filled with sirene cheese, egg and parsley, dipped in flour and egg and fried until golden. Served with garlic yogurt. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 530 kcal
Chushki byurek are roasted peppers stuffed with a creamy mix of sirene, egg and parsley, dipped in flour and beaten egg and shallow-fried until crisp. They are a classic Bulgarian meze, often made at home in late summer. The traditional peppers are long, red and thick-fleshed, called kapia. If you use bell peppers, cut them into halves instead. Serve with garlic yogurt.
Instructions
- Roast the peppers under a hot grill or at 240°C (475°F), turning, for 20 to 25 minutes until blistered. Cover them in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel. Keep the stems on kapia peppers. Cut a slit in one side and carefully remove the seeds. Halve bell peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Dry the peppers well with paper towels. Mix the cheese, 2 eggs, parsley and white pepper into a thick paste. Do not add salt, because the cheese is salty.
- Fill each kapia pepper with about 2 tablespoons of filling and fold the edges over to close it. For bell pepper halves, spoon the filling onto one half and fold the other half over it.
- Chill the stuffed peppers for 15 minutes so the filling firms up. Put the flour on a plate and the beaten eggs in a shallow dish.
- Heat 1 cm (1/2 in) of oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Roll each pepper lightly in flour, then dip it in egg.
- Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and the egg filling is cooked through and firm, working in batches. Drain on paper towels.
- Stir the yogurt, garlic and salt together and serve alongside the hot peppers.
Tips
- Make sure the peppers are well drained and dry before filling. Wet peppers make the coating slide off in the pan.
- For a lighter version, brush the stuffed peppers with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 minutes, skipping the flour and egg coating.
Questions and answers
Can I make chushki byurek ahead?
Stuff the peppers and chill them for up to 6 hours, then coat and fry just before serving. They taste best hot.
What peppers are best for byurek?
Long red kapia peppers are traditional. Large red bell peppers cut into halves are the easiest substitute.
Is chushki byurek the same as burek pastry?
No. Chushki byurek is a fried stuffed pepper. The pastry called burek in other Balkan countries is a filo pie, which is a different dish.
How long does it take to make Chushki Byurek (Bulgarian Fried Peppers Stuffed with Cheese)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chushki Byurek (Bulgarian Fried Peppers Stuffed with Cheese)?
About 530 kcal per serving, with 21 g of protein, 25 g of carbohydrates and 38 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 530 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 21 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
