Best 5 Bourek Meat Filled Pastry Recipes

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Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey into the realm of bourek, a delectable meat-filled pastry that has captivated palates for centuries. Originating from the heart of Mediterranean cuisine, bourek has become an integral part of various cultural heritages, each region infusing it with unique flavors and techniques. From the delicate filo pastry encasing tender, savory fillings to the aromatic spices that dance upon your tongue, bourek offers an explosion of textures and flavors that will leave you craving more. In this comprehensive guide, we will embark on a quest to discover the best bourek recipe, exploring different variations, culinary tips, and secrets that will elevate your bourek-making skills to new heights. So, gather your ingredients, ignite your culinary passion, and let's unravel the art of creating the ultimate bourek, a dish that will transport you to a realm of culinary bliss.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

SERBIAN BEEF BUREK (BUREK SA MESOM)



Serbian Beef Burek (Burek sa Mesom) image

This meat burek recipe is made with ground beef and flaky phyllo dough, and is popular in Serbia and across the Balkans.

Provided by Barbara Rolek

Categories     Appetizer     Dinner     Entree     Lunch     Side Dish     Pie

Time 3h33m

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup onion (finely chopped )
1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (or a combination of beef, pork, and/or lamb)
1 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
1 (1-pound) package phyllo dough (#7, thawed)
5 tablespoons oil (vegetable, sunflower, or pumpkin seed)
3 large eggs (beaten)
3/4 cup Greek plain yogurt (or Bulgarian yogurt)
3/4 cup cups soda water

Steps:

  • Gather the ingredients.
  • In a large skillet, sauté the onion and ground chuck over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.
  • Drain in a colander .
  • Return the meat-onion mixture to skillet and add the parsley, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute, mixing thoroughly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
  • Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray . Separate the phyllo dough into 2 piles (approximately 10 to 14 sheets each) and keep covered so they don't dry out. Half will go on the bottom of the pie and half will go on the top.
  • Place 2 sheets in the prepared pan and brush lightly with oil, folding in any overhanging edges. Add 2 more sheets and brush with oil. Continue until you've used one pile of phyllo.
  • Spread the cooled ground chuck mixture evenly over the phyllo, pushing up to the edges. Begin covering the meat with the remaining phyllo, again using 2 sheets at a time and brushing with oil. Continue until all of the phyllo is used.
  • Brush the entire top lightly with oil. Using a serrated knife and a sawing motion, cut burek all the way to the bottom into 12 squares.
  • In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with the yogurt and soda water . Pour over the burek. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 355 kcal, Carbohydrate 23 g, Cholesterol 98 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 21 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 650 mg, Sugar 2 g, Fat 19 g, ServingSize 1 pie (8 to 10 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g

TRADITIONAL ROLLED BUREK (BOREK) RECIPE



Traditional Rolled Burek (Borek) Recipe image

Try this recipe for traditional rolled burek (borek), baked meat rolls shaped like snails and filled with a flavorful ground beef mixture.

Provided by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

Categories     Appetizer     Entree     Side Dish     Snack

Time 50m

Yield 20

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 box phyllo pastry sheet (12 inches x 17 inches)
3/4 cup butter, melted

Steps:

  • Gather the ingredients.
  • Heat a large frying pan over medium-low to medium heat and add the oil.
  • Sauté the onion until soft and then add the ground beef, allspice , paprika , salt , and pepper to taste.
  • Cook until the meat is crumbly but not dry. Cool completely before you continue. While ground beef mixture is cooling, preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Once cooled, lay one sheet of phyllo dough on the counter. Keep the remaining sheets of phyllo dough covered with a damp kitchen towel, and work quickly to prevent it from drying out.
  • Brush sheet with some of the melted butter. Place a heaping 1/3 cup of meat mixture on the sheet along the long side, 2 inches from the edge.
  • Fold the bottom over the meat mixture and roll into a snake shape. Cut the roll in half and coil each roll into a snail shape.
  • Place rolled dough and ground beef pinwheel on a nonstick baking sheet and butt the end up against the edge of the pan to prevent uncoiling. Brush with additional butter. Continue until you've used all the ground beef.
  • Bake in a preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes or until just golden. A hint for handling phyllo dough: Be sure the dough is at room temperature before you open the box. Place the sheets of dough on a large cookie sheet and cover them with plastic wrap and then a heavy towel. In this way, they will not dry out while you are working with them. Work fast for best results and do not have the butter too hot when brushing the dough. Recipe Source: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors by Jeff Smith (Wm Morrow) Reprinted with permission.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 200 kcal, Carbohydrate 13 g, Cholesterol 38 mg, Fiber 1 g, Protein 8 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 200 mg, Sugar 0 g, Fat 13 g, ServingSize 18 to 20 servings, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

BOUREK (MEAT FILLED PASTRY)



Bourek (Meat Filled Pastry) image

This is an Algerian appetizer. Traditionally ground lamb is used for the filling but you can also try ground beef or turkey or even one time I did spinach and feta. You can also adjust the seasonings. I think phyllo dough is a pain to work with and was told to try it with an asian type wrapper. I tried but it didn't come out as well. You can fold the dough around it pretty much any way you want. Just do them all the same so they cook in the same amount of time.

Provided by Cookie16

Categories     Lunch/Snacks

Time 40m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 teaspoon butter
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 small onion
4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
8 phyllo pastry sheets, 12 x 17 inches each
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg, beaten

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the lamb and stir-fry a minute.
  • Add the onion, parsley, salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook over medium low heat til lamb is cooked through.
  • Take one sheet of phyllo and fold both side to the center length-wise.
  • Sprinkle lightly with melted butter.
  • Place 2 heaping tablespoons of meat stuffing at one end of the phyllo.
  • Press it out til it is about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep.
  • Roll the dough over and roll about 3 times.
  • Sprinkle a bit more butter on the end and dab with egg to seal.
  • Do this with the remaining meat mix and phyllo.
  • Bake in a buttered baking dish in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

CHEESE BOUREKAS



Cheese Bourekas image

Middle-Eastern style puff pastry pockets filled with cheese. Great served as an appetizer or the traditional Israeli way for breakfast with salad, olives, cheese, and plain yogurt. Could also be filled with leftover mashed potatoes, or a spinach and feta mixture.

Provided by GCBENEZRA

Categories     Appetizers and Snacks     Pastries

Time 1h

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 pinch garlic powder
1 pinch onion powder
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
  • Beat 1 egg in a medium bowl, and mix in the cheese. Season with parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  • On a lightly floured surface, cut each sheet of puff pastry into 6 equal squares to give 12 squares in total. Beat the remaining egg with water in small bowl. Brush edges of each square lightly with egg wash. Place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the center of each square. Fold pastry over the filling, and seal edges with a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, brush with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  • Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 294.2 calories, Carbohydrate 19.6 g, Cholesterol 43.1 mg, Fat 20.1 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 8.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.2 g, Sodium 230.4 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

BUREK



Burek image

This recipe is Eastern European in origin; being from Bosnia, my mom made this for me growing up and my whole family always looked forward to it! Serve with Balkan style yogurt for authenticity.

Provided by mms09

Categories     Main Dish Recipes     Savory Pie Recipes     Beef Pie Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon paprika
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 potato, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
¼ cup melted butter

Steps:

  • Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Brown ground beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat; stir in allspice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer beef to a large bowl and stir in potato and onion.
  • Unroll phyllo pastry and transfer 2 sheets to a work surface; stack sheets. Spoon 1/8th of the ground beef mixture down one long edge of the phyllo pastry. Roll phyllo into a tube, encasing beef. Shape the tube into a coil (snail shape). Place the roll on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Repeat, placing finished rolls up against one another to keep them from unrolling.
  • Bake burek in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 797.1 calories, Carbohydrate 72.8 g, Cholesterol 115.6 mg, Fat 42.1 g, Fiber 4.7 g, Protein 29.9 g, SaturatedFat 18.5 g, Sodium 707 mg, Sugar 2 g

Tips:

  • Choose the right phyllo dough: Look for phyllo dough that is thin and pliable. If the dough is too thick, it will be difficult to work with and will not cook evenly.
  • Keep the phyllo dough moist: Phyllo dough can dry out quickly, so it is important to keep it covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap while you are working with it.
  • Brush the phyllo dough with melted butter: This will help to prevent the dough from sticking together and will also add flavor.
  • Do not overfill the pastries: If you overfill the pastries, they will be difficult to close and will likely burst open while baking.
  • Bake the pastries until they are golden brown: This will ensure that the pastries are cooked through and that the filling is heated evenly.

Conclusion:

Borek is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a variety of fillings to choose from, there is sure to be a borek recipe that everyone will enjoy. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give borek a try!

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