About this Dish
Spiral-layered pastry filled with meat, cheese, or spinach.
History & Origin
An Ottoman legacy found across the Balkans, burek is a breakfast and late-night staple in Croatia, sold fresh from bakeries in tightly coiled spirals.
IngredientsServes 3
🫓Phyllo dough sheets, 500g (about 12 sheets)
🥩Ground beef and pork mix, 500g
🧅Yellow onion, 1 large, finely diced
🧂Salt, 1.5 tsp
🌶️Black pepper, 1 tsp
🫒Sunflower oil, 150ml
🥚Eggs, 2 large
💧Sparkling water, 150ml
Method
1
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the diced onion until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground meat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until fully browned. Season generously with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and let the filling cool completely.2
Mix the remaining oil with the sparkling water and beaten eggs in a bowl — this mixture will be brushed between the layers to keep the burek moist and flaky.3
Lay one phyllo sheet flat on a clean surface and brush it generously with the oil-egg mixture. Place a second sheet on top and brush again. Spoon a line of meat filling along the long edge of the sheets, then roll them up into a loose sausage shape.4
Coil the filled roll into a spiral starting from the center of a greased round baking tin (about 30cm). Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, continuing the spiral outward until the tin is filled.5
Brush the top of the burek generously with the remaining oil mixture. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the layers absorb the liquid.6
Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 35–40 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and immediately cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes — this steams the burek slightly and keeps it from drying out. Slice into wedges and serve warm.User Reviews
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