Bosnian Burek Recipe

This burek recipe has Eastern European roots. My mum, who is from Bosnia, used to make it for me when I was young, and everyone in my family eagerly anticipated it. For an authentic finishing touch, serve it with Balkan-style yoghurt.

Preparation time: 35 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Total time: 1 hr
Servings: 4
Yield: 8 burek

Ingredients

• 450g lean beef mince
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 medium potato, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 16 sheets filo pastry, thawed
• 60ml melted butter

Directions

1. Set the oven to 200°C.
2. In a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, cook the beef mince for 5–7 minutes, stirring until browned and crumbly. Drain away the fat. Mix in the allspice, paprika, salt and pepper. Move the mixture to a large bowl, then stir through the potato and onion.
3. Place two sheets of filo pastry in a stack on your work surface. Arrange 1/8 of the beef mixture along one long edge, then roll the pastry around the filling to form a tube. Wind the tube into a snail-shaped coil and put it on an ungreased baking tray. Repeat with the remaining filling to make seven more burek, positioning the completed coils close together so that they do not unravel. Brush the tops with the melted butter.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–30 minutes, until golden brown.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)