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Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry

When it comes to any type of pie, you all can kinda guess that I go nuts especially when we talk about childhood favorites, such as this Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry — Bakery Style Burek.

Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry

Now, this is not your typical pie, but when you translate “pita”, the pie is the word that pops up. So we can officially call it a pie. See, some part of the country would actually call it a pita, and some burek. But I will say, call it whatever you want, it is still delicious.

Some of you are probably familiar with “Burek” or Börek, with many similar names across Europe, especially Balkan Peninsula -Southeast Europe.

Burek is a baked filled pastry made of a thin, flaky dough known as phyllo (or yufka – not Markook/Shrak, a flatbread). That is found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire. A börek may be prepared in a large pan and cut into portions after baking, or as individual pastries.

Not only did I grew up watching women make Burek with homemade dough made from scratch, but I was eating it almost every day during my high school years.

Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry

I have pretty fond memories of my school days. I had to travel quite a bit to get to my school, about 2 hours on a good day; going from the bus, then jumping into a few different trolleys, which was pretty exhausting for 13 or 14 years old. Anyhow, time runs fast if you stumble across a friend.

Getting up very early and eating breakfast was not an option because I could not eat at that hour. Even if you try to pay me to do it. Anyhow, about half of the mile from my school there was a bakery on the corner of the street.

Oh, I think I can smell it instantly just by remembering the freshly baked bread at 6 or 7 am. Sweet pastries, pies, and different types of Burek; cheese pie, meat, spinach, etc. The whole street would have a pleasant aroma of that bakery that just draws you in to get your breakfast, hot and freshly made. Nothing beats that, seriously!

Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry —Bakery Style Burek

Check out other phyllo dough recipes

Many women, from Balkan Peninsula, can make dough from scratch, me, well not really. To tell you honestly, I cannot make that dough even if you install a “how-to” video in my head. God knows I’ve tried, but no luck whatsoever. So, I gave up. Yup! I gave up and enjoyed a stress-free Burek made with Filo dough, which is still very tasty.

It is simple as it looks, so let’s do it!

If you make this tasty Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry —Bakery Style Burek, please tag one on Instagram @sandraseasycooking with hashtag #sandraseasycooking. Thank you all so much for all your support!

Recipes from Balkan
Yield: Serves 4

Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry —Bakery Style Burek

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Phyllo Meat Pie Pastry —Bakery Style Burek recipe is easy, tasty and you will ask for more.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pack Phyllo sheets, dough/ Filo (1/2 pound)
  • 1 1/2 cup of water + 2 tablespoons oil + 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Filling:
  • 1 tbsp. Oil + more for later
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced or shredded, you may use 1/4 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 lb ground beef 80/20 fat
  • 2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder or to taste (you can use salt to taste instead)
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375F. 190C
  2. Mix One and a half cup of water with 2 tablespoons of oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. This is for later to drizzle over phyllo sheets.
  3. Preheat the oil, and drop sliced or shredded onion in the pan. Saute for 5 minutes -if you slice the onion, it will take more time to cook. Also, you can use onion powder if you prefer.
  4. Add ground beef and the rest of the ingredients for the filling. Mix, and try to break ground beef into small chunks. Cook until meat is no longer red (bloody), and it looks cooked completely. Drain the oil out as much as you can still leave some in so the pie is not dry. Set aside!
  5. Traditionally bakery burek is round, but you can use a square pan if you do not own skillet that could go in the oven. Also, you may use a springform pan or cake pan.
  6. Place 2 sheets in each side to overlap about 5 to 6 inches over the baking pan/skillet pan edge. SEE PIC. You will do this step even if you are using a square or rectangular baking pan.
  7. Using a slotted spoon, spoon in sauteed seasoned ground beef and put it all over the phyllo sheets. Now, cover with another sheet, and drizzle with water-oil, just a few tablespoons all over. Continue layering until you are out of ground beef. Make sure to drizzle with water-oil each time you place a new sheet over the ground beef. This will keep it nice and moist.
  8. The last step is to take those overlapping sheets and cover over the pie and place one or two sheets over that. Drizzle well with water and oil mixture just to make sure that the top of the meat pie is well soaked. Press lightly, but just lightly. It is easily breakable.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes or until the pie looks golden brown.
  10. Take it out and cover with a kitchen towel for 5 minutes so the pie could rest. After you may slide it out, or flip it over on the wooden board or a plate.
  11. Slice it in 4 equal triangles and enjoy. If you are making it in the larger baking pan, rectangular then you may use more filling and more sheets if desired. Cut them into squares.
  12. We serve burek with buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream because it is the best with those kinds of dairy.

Notes

Step by step

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