60 min
Korean Beef Japchae with Spinach, Shiitakes & Sesame
Glossy sweet-potato glass noodles are tossed with tender soy-garlic beef, shiitakes, spinach and crisp vegetables in a balanced sesame dressing.
Family Favorites
Balkan-Style Meat Burek with Beef & Yogurt
Crackly phyllo spirals around a savory beef-and-onion filling, then a quick cucumber-yogurt salad turns the crisp pastry into a complete lunch or casual supper.
Directions
Cook and cool the filling
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet over medium. Cook onion for 6 minutes. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, pepper and allspice; break it into small crumbles and cook 7 to 9 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat, stir in parsley and spread the filling on a tray to cool for 15 minutes.
Prepare the pan and phyllo
Heat the oven to 400°F. Brush a 12-inch round metal pan or 9-by-13-inch pan with the remaining oil. Unroll phyllo, cover it with plastic wrap and a barely damp towel, and work with one sheet at a time so the stack does not dry out.
Roll the first coil
Lay two phyllo sheets together and brush the top lightly with melted butter. Spoon about 1/2 cup cooled filling along one long edge, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll into a loose log without compressing the layers, then coil it in the center of the pan.
Build the spiral
Repeat with paired sheets, butter and filling. Curve each new log around the previous coil, placing seams down, until the pan is full. Tuck the final ends underneath and brush the top with the remaining butter.
Add the light custard
Whisk sparkling water and egg. Pour evenly over the assembled burek and let it stand 5 minutes so the liquid slips between layers without soaking the crust.
Bake until crisp
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating once, until deeply golden and crisp. The center should register at least 160°F. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting so the filling stays in place.
Mix the yogurt salad
Stir yogurt, squeezed cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep chilled until serving.
Cut and serve
Use a serrated knife to cut the burek into eight wedges or squares. Serve warm with the cool cucumber-yogurt mixture; offer hot pepper flakes separately if desired.
Why this works
Why it worksCooling the beef prevents steam from softening the delicate phyllo before the pan reaches the oven.
Why it worksPaired sheets give each roll enough strength while leaving many thin edges to turn crisp.
Why it worksA restrained egg-and-sparkling-water pour binds the spiral without turning the finished pastry heavy.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
Paid links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You pay no additional cost.
Compare on Amazon12-inch round baking panA shallow metal pan supports the coiled phyllo and encourages a crisp, evenly browned base.See current options →
Compare on AmazonSilicone pastry brushA flexible brush spreads a thin, even layer of butter without tearing delicate phyllo sheets.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify the beef filling reaches 160°F and the assembled burek is hot through at the center.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use ground lamb in place of beef and cook it to 160°F, draining the rendered fat before assembly.
- For a smaller household, assemble two 8-inch pans and freeze one unbaked, tightly wrapped, for up to 1 month.
- Replace dill in the yogurt salad with mint or parsley.
Cook notes
- Keep phyllo covered whenever it is not in your hands; exposed sheets become brittle within minutes.
- The ground-beef filling must reach 160°F before assembly, and reheated leftovers should reach 165°F.
- Use a light hand with butter. Saturating the sheets seals their edges together instead of producing distinct crisp layers.
- The recipe uses a practical home phyllo method inspired by the family of Balkan meat pies rather than claiming one regional bakery's exact formulation.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked burek within 2 hours for up to 4 days. Reheat uncovered on a rack at 375°F for 10 to 14 minutes until the center reaches 165°F; microwaving softens the phyllo. Freeze baked portions up to 2 months. Store yogurt salad separately for up to 3 days.
Questions
Why did my phyllo tear?
Phyllo tears when it dries or when the filling is packed too tightly. Keep the stack covered and roll loosely; small tears disappear inside the spiral.
Can I assemble burek a day ahead?
The cooked filling can be refrigerated a day ahead, but assembled phyllo gradually absorbs moisture. For the crispest result, shape and bake on the same day.
Can I use puff pastry?
Puff pastry makes a different pie with thick buttery layers. It will not reproduce the many thin, crackly sheets that define this burek method.
Cook next
More recipes you’ll like
60 min
60 min
Cowboy-Butter Ribeye Bites with Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Crunchy smashed potatoes and seared ribeye bites drenched in zippy garlic-herb cowboy butter.
85 min
Classic Glazed Meatloaf with Garlic Mash
A sliceable, juicy ground-beef meatloaf with a sticky tomato glaze and creamy garlic mashed potatoes—the full comfort-food plate.
70 min
Saucy Ground Beef & Rice Stuffed Peppers
Tender bell peppers packed with garlicky beef, rice, tomatoes, and herbs, then baked in a bright tomato sauce until bubbling.
Balkan-Style Meat Burek with Beef & Yogurt
Screen stays awake when supported.
1. Cook and cool the fillingHeat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet over medium. Cook onion for 6 minutes. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, pepper and allspice; break it into small crumbles and cook 7 to 9 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain excess fat, stir in parsley and spread the filling on a tray to cool for 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the pan and phylloHeat the oven to 400°F. Brush a 12-inch round metal pan or 9-by-13-inch pan with the remaining oil. Unroll phyllo, cover it with plastic wrap and a barely damp towel, and work with one sheet at a time so the stack does not dry out.
3. Roll the first coilLay two phyllo sheets together and brush the top lightly with melted butter. Spoon about 1/2 cup cooled filling along one long edge, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll into a loose log without compressing the layers, then coil it in the center of the pan.
4. Build the spiralRepeat with paired sheets, butter and filling. Curve each new log around the previous coil, placing seams down, until the pan is full. Tuck the final ends underneath and brush the top with the remaining butter.
5. Add the light custardWhisk sparkling water and egg. Pour evenly over the assembled burek and let it stand 5 minutes so the liquid slips between layers without soaking the crust.
6. Bake until crispBake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating once, until deeply golden and crisp. The center should register at least 160°F. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting so the filling stays in place.
7. Mix the yogurt saladStir yogurt, squeezed cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, dill and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep chilled until serving.
8. Cut and serveUse a serrated knife to cut the burek into eight wedges or squares. Serve warm with the cool cucumber-yogurt mixture; offer hot pepper flakes separately if desired.