Bosnian Burek Pastry Classic (Print out)

Flaky phyllo layered with seasoned ground beef and spinach, baked until golden and crisp.

# 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 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)

→ Pastry & Assembly

08 - 17.6 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 Make It:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix ground beef, chopped spinach, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika until well blended.
03 - Melt butter and mix thoroughly with vegetable oil in a small bowl.
04 - Place one phyllo sheet on a clean surface and brush lightly with the butter-oil mixture. Layer another sheet on top and brush again. Repeat until 2 to 3 sheets are stacked.
05 - Spread a thin even layer of the filling along one long edge of the phyllo stack, leaving a small border. Roll the stack tightly into a long log.
06 - Coil the rolled log gently into a spiral shape and place on the baking tray. Repeat to use all filling and phyllo sheets, creating one large or several smaller spirals.
07 - Generously brush the tops of the spirals with the remaining butter-oil mixture.
08 - Mix plain yogurt with water and brush over the pastry for extra crispness (optional).
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes, slice, and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impossibly fancy but tastes even better than it looks, making you feel like a pastry chef in your own kitchen.
  • The crispy exterior gives way to savory meat and tender spinach, and people always ask for seconds without fail.
  • You can make it ahead and bake it later, which means less stress when you're cooking for guests.
02 -
  • Phyllo dries out almost instantly once exposed to air, so keep it covered with a damp kitchen towel at all times or you'll end up with sheets that crack and crumble instead of fold.
  • The yogurt-water brush at the end isn't just for show, it genuinely creates a crisper, more delicate crust than butter alone because the moisture helps the phyllo puff up slightly in the oven.
  • If your filling seems wet after mixing, let it drain in a fine sieve for a few minutes, otherwise steam will make your pastry lose its crispness.
03 -
  • Don't skimp on the butter-oil mixture, it's the difference between pastry that's merely baked and pastry that shatters like spun sugar when you bite into it.
  • If phyllo sheets tear during assembly, just patch them with a scrap and brush with butter, no one will ever know, and the repair will be invisible once baked.
  • Rolling the filled phyllo firmly but gently is the sweet spot, too loose and it unravels, too tight and the pastry tears from the pressure.
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