Bosnian Burek Pastry (Printable)

Delicate phyllo pastry layered with ground beef and spinach, baked to golden 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 - 4.2 oz unsalted butter, melted
10 - 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ For Brushing & Serving

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

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - Combine ground beef, spinach, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika in a large bowl until evenly mixed.
03 - Melt butter and blend with vegetable oil in a small bowl.
04 - Place a phyllo sheet on a clean surface, brush lightly with the butter-oil mixture. Layer another sheet and brush again. Repeat to make a stack of 2 to 3 sheets.
05 - Spread an even layer of the meat-spinach mixture along one long edge of the phyllo stack, leaving a small margin.
06 - Tightly roll the phyllo sheet around the filling to form a long log.
07 - Coil the log gently into a spiral shape and place it on the prepared baking tray. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry, making one large or several smaller spirals.
08 - Brush the spirals generously with the remaining butter-oil mixture.
09 - Mix plain yogurt with water and brush this over the pastry for additional crispness (optional).
10 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
11 - Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That impossible-to-describe moment when you crack through the golden phyllo and find the filling still steaming inside.
  • It's forgiving enough for a weeknight dinner but looks fancy enough to impress without anyone needing to know how straightforward it really is.
  • Leftovers taste just as good at room temperature the next day, which almost never happens with pastry.
02 -
  • Keep your phyllo covered with a barely-damp towel while you work—even two minutes of exposure to air will make the exposed sheets crack and tear when you try to brush and layer them.
  • The filling should be seasoned boldly; phyllo is neutral, so every bit of flavor comes from what you mix into the beef and spinach.
  • If your burek looks pale halfway through baking, it's not done yet—wait until it's golden, because pale pastry hasn't developed its flavor or texture.
03 -
  • Let the filled spirals sit at room temperature for 15 minutes after shaping but before baking—this allows the phyllo to relax slightly, so it puffs more evenly in the oven.
  • If you have phyllo sheets that tear beyond repair, layer them carefully anyway; imperfect layers still crisp up beautifully and no one will notice once it's sliced.
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