Bosnian Burek Pastry - Tasty Hrira

# What you need:

→ Filling

01 - 14 oz ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio recommended)

02 - 7 oz fresh spinach, washed and chopped

03 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped

04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

05 - 1 tsp salt

06 - ½ tsp black pepper

07 - ½ tsp paprika (optional)

→ Pastry & Assembly

08 - 17.5 oz phyllo pastry sheets (about 12–14 sheets)

09 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted

10 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil

→ For Brushing & Serving

11 - 3 tbsp plain yogurt (optional)

12 - 1 tbsp water (for brushing)

# How to make it:

01 - Set the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

02 - In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef, chopped spinach, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and paprika.

03 - Melt the butter and blend with vegetable oil in a small bowl.

04 - Place one phyllo sheet on a clean surface and brush lightly with the butter-oil mixture. Layer another sheet on top and brush again, repeating to create a stack of 2 to 3 sheets.

05 - Spread a thin, even layer of the meat-spinach mixture along one long edge of the phyllo stack, leaving a small border. Roll the sheet tightly to enclose the filling, forming a long log.

06 - Gently coil the log into a spiral shape and place it on the prepared tray. Repeat until all filling and phyllo are used, forming one large or several smaller spirals.

07 - Generously brush the tops with the remaining butter-oil blend.

08 - Mix plain yogurt with water and brush over the pastry for extra crispness, if desired.

09 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -

The phyllo gets shattering-crisp on the outside while the filling stays juicy and flavorful, hitting that textural contrast that makes people close their eyes mid-bite.
You can make it ahead and bake it fresh when guests arrive, which feels like cheating but actually works beautifully.
One burek feeds six people generously, so it's the kind of dish that makes you look far more impressive in the kitchen than the effort actually requires.

02 -

Phyllo dries out in minutes, so keep it covered with a barely damp towel while you work—too much water and it gets gluey, too little and it shatters before you even start layering.
The filling must be mixed thoroughly by hand so the spinach integrates into the meat instead of staying in clumps; this also helps distribute the seasonings evenly so every bite tastes intentional.
Don't skimp on the butter-oil mixture between layers or your burek will bake into something tough instead of crispy, which is the whole point of using phyllo in the first place.

03 -