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Brief Overview
Burek is one of those dishes that quickly becomes part of a place. In Bosnia and Herzegovina it is much more than a snack. It is a warm spiral of thin pastry packed with savoury filling, baked until crisp on the outside and soft within.
The smell of fresh burek often drifts from small bakeries called buregdžinicas, where trays are pulled from the oven throughout the day. Locals stop in for a quick bite, often with a glass of yoghurt on the side.
Part of its appeal is how it fits into everyday life. It is easy to carry, filling enough for a meal, and always fresh. You can taste it in busy markets, in quiet neighbourhood streets and during gatherings with family and friends.
What Is Burek?
Burek is a coiled pastry made from paper thin dough called yufka, wrapped around a seasoned filling and baked until golden. Though different versions exist, in Bosnia the word burek usually means meat filled pastry.
Other fillings such as cheese, spinach or potato have their own names, but the classic burek is made with minced beef or lamb. The pastry is rolled into a long tube, then coiled like a snail before going into the oven.
Once baked it has a flaky, crisp surface and tender layers inside. It is cut into wedges and served hot. It is hearty without being heavy and it holds its shape well, making it a favourite for eating at home or on the move.
Ingredients and Taste
The dough is made simply from flour, water and a little oil, stretched out so thin that you can almost see through it. The filling is made from minced meat mixed with onions, salt, pepper and often a touch of paprika.
While in the oven the juices from the meat soak into the dough, flavouring the inner layers while the outside crisps up. The contrast of textures is one of the reasons people enjoy it so much.
The taste is savoury, rich and comforting. It has the depth of slow cooked meat combined with the lightness of crisp pastry. If you eat it with a glass of cold yoghurt, the tang balances out the warmth and makes the experience complete.
A Taste of History
Burek has deep roots in the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over the Balkans for centuries. The tradition of wrapping spiced fillings in thin pastry travelled with the empire and found a home in Bosnia.
Over time the dish became part of the local culture. Bosnia and Herzegovina developed its own way of making burek, with coiled shapes and strong emphasis on minced meat as the main filling.
Today burek is more than food. It is a symbol of shared tables and everyday connection. It reflects the history of a region where influences met and blended. To eat burek in Bosnia is to share in a tradition that feels both simple and lasting.
How to Make Burek (Savoury Filled Pastry)
Burek from Bosnia and Herzegovina is a spiral pie of thin pastry sheets wrapped around seasoned minced meat, baked until golden and crisp. The filling is savoury and juicy, while the pastry bakes into tender layers with a delicate crunch. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the dough (if making from scratch)
- 400 g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 ml lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
(You may use 400 g ready-made yufka or thin filo pastry if preferred)
For the filling
- 500 g minced beef or lamb (or a mix)
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
For brushing
- 50 g melted butter mixed with 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and prepare
To begin, preheat your oven to 200°C. Lightly oil a round baking dish or tray. Move on to making the dough if not using ready-made pastry.
Step 2: Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix plain flour and salt. Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, then coat with a little oil, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Proceed to the filling.
Step 3: Prepare the filling
In another bowl, combine minced meat, finely chopped onions, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water to keep the filling moist. Transition to rolling the dough.
Step 4: Roll and stretch the dough
Divide the rested dough into 4 balls. Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface as thin as possible, then carefully stretch it with your hands from the centre outwards until paper thin. If using ready-made filo or yufka, lay out one sheet and brush lightly with the butter oil mix. Continue to filling.
Step 5: Add the filling
Scatter a thin line of the meat mixture along one long edge of the pastry. Roll the pastry around the filling to form a long log. Brush with more butter oil mixture. Move to shaping.
Step 6: Shape the burek
Take the filled pastry log and coil it into a spiral, placing it in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, starting each new log at the end of the previous spiral. Brush the top generously with the butter oil mix. Prepare for baking.
Step 7: Bake the burek
Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Turn the tray halfway through baking for even colouring. Transition to resting and serving.
Step 8: Rest before serving
Once baked, remove the burek from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices inside to settle. Move on to cutting and plating.
Final step: Serve
Cut into wedges and serve warm with a side of plain yoghurt or a fresh cucumber salad. Presentation tip: Brush lightly with melted butter just before serving for a glossy finish.
Variations and substitutions
- Meat substitutions: Use a mix of beef and lamb for deeper flavour, or chicken for a lighter taste.
- Cheese filled variation: Replace meat with a filling of feta and cottage cheese (Sirnica).
- Pastry substitution: If yufka is unavailable, use thin filo pastry from supermarkets.
- Spices: Add a pinch of ground cumin or chilli flakes for a regional twist.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Burek
- Always rest homemade dough before stretching to achieve paper thin sheets.
- Keep pastry covered with a damp cloth while working to prevent drying out.
- Add a little water to the filling to keep the interior moist during baking.
- Brush the pastry generously with the butter oil mix to create golden crisp layers.
Bosnian Burek (Savoury Filled Pastry)
Ingredients
For the dough (if making from scratch)
- 400 g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 ml lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- You may use 400 g ready-made yufka or thin filo pastry if preferred
For the filling
- 500 g minced beef or lamb or a mix
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
For brushing
- 50 g melted butter mixed with 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Instructions
- To begin, preheat your oven to 200°C. Lightly oil a round baking dish or tray. Move on to making the dough if not using ready-made pastry.
- In a large bowl, mix plain flour and salt. Gradually add lukewarm water while mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, then coat with a little oil, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Proceed to the filling.
- In another bowl, combine minced meat, finely chopped onions, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water to keep the filling moist. Transition to rolling the dough.
- Divide the rested dough into 4 balls. Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface as thin as possible, then carefully stretch it with your hands from the centre outwards until paper thin. If using ready-made filo or yufka, lay out one sheet and brush lightly with the butter oil mix. Continue to filling.
- Scatter a thin line of the meat mixture along one long edge of the pastry. Roll the pastry around the filling to form a long log. Brush with more butter oil mixture. Move to shaping.
- Take the filled pastry log and coil it into a spiral, placing it in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, starting each new log at the end of the previous spiral. Brush the top generously with the butter oil mix. Prepare for baking.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Turn the tray halfway through baking for even colouring. Transition to resting and serving.
- Once baked, remove the burek from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices inside to settle. Move on to cutting and plating.
- Cut into wedges and serve warm with a side of plain yoghurt or a fresh cucumber salad. Presentation tip: Brush lightly with melted butter just before serving for a glossy finish.
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