Bosnian Burek Pastry (Printable Version)

Delicious Balkan-style flaky pastry filled with seasoned beef and fresh spinach, baked to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Filling

01 - 14 oz ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio recommended)
02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed and chopped
03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
07 - ½ teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Pastry & Assembly

08 - 17.5 oz phyllo pastry sheets (about 12–14 sheets)
09 - 8.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
10 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil

→ For Brushing & Serving

11 - 3 tbsp plain yogurt (optional)
12 - 1 tbsp water (for brushing)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground beef, spinach, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika until thoroughly combined.
03 - Melt butter and combine with vegetable oil in a small bowl.
04 - Place one phyllo sheet on a clean work surface and brush lightly with the butter-oil mixture. Layer another phyllo sheet on top and brush again. Repeat to create a stack of 2 to 3 sheets.
05 - Spread a thin, even layer of the meat-spinach filling along one long edge of the phyllo stack, leaving a small border. Roll the phyllo tightly to enclose the filling, forming a long log.
06 - Gently coil the log into a spiral shape and place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with remaining filling and phyllo to form multiple spirals as desired.
07 - Brush the tops generously with the remaining butter and oil mixture.
08 - Mix plain yogurt with water and brush over the pastry for extra crispness (optional).
09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pastry shatters between your teeth in the most satisfying way, while the filling stays tender and deeply savory inside.
  • You can make it ahead and bake it later, which means less stress when people are coming over.
  • It feeds six people generously and always gets people asking for the recipe before they've even finished eating.
02 -
  • Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel while you work—uncovered sheets dry out and become brittle and impossible to work with, but a slightly damp cloth keeps them pliable.
  • Don't be stingy with the butter-oil mixture between layers; it's what creates all those crispy, golden layers you're hoping for.
  • Squeeze any excess moisture out of frozen spinach if you use it, otherwise the filling turns watery and the pastry gets soggy instead of crispy.
03 -
  • Use a 80/20 lean-to-fat ground beef so the filling stays moist and flavorful; anything leaner tastes dry, and anything fattier turns greasy.
  • The yogurt-water wash isn't just optional—it creates the most beautiful golden color and a crispier texture than butter alone, and it's worth doing even if you've never tried it before.
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