Burek sa Sirom

Burek sa Sirom (Serbian Cheese Burek)

Burek sa sirom is a beloved Serbian filo pastry, traditionally rolled into spirals and baked until golden. The filling is a simple, savoury combination of cottage cheese-style sirene, eggs, and a splash of sour cream or kefir for richness.

Prep

35 min

Cook

40 min

Total

75 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) thin filo pastry (kore za pitu), store-bought is standard; homemade requires a very large table and practiced hands
• •450 g (1 lb) full-fat white brined cheese (sirene or feta), traditionally sirene; Bulgarian or Greek feta is the closest widely available substitute - do not use low-fat
• •3 whole large eggs, plus 1 extra for the egg wash
• •120 ml (½ cup) full-fat sour cream or kefir, kefir is more traditional; sour cream is the easy substitute
• •120 ml milk or water, for brushing the filo
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) sunflower or vegetable oil, melted butter is a richer but non-traditional substitute
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) baking powder, optional, makes the filling slightly puffier
• •1 pinch black pepper
• •0 g additional salt, only if the cheese is mild; brined cheese is usually salty enough

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Lightly grease a round baking dish, about 30 cm (12 in) in diameter.
2. 2 Crumble the cheese into a bowl. Add 3 eggs, the sour cream (or kefir), baking powder if using, and a small pinch of black pepper. Mix with a fork until you have a thick but spreadable paste - it should not be runny.
3. 3 Unroll the filo and keep the stack covered with a clean, slightly damp tea towel so the sheets do not dry out and crack.
4. 4 Working one sheet at a time, lay a filo sheet flat on the work surface with the long edge facing you. Lightly brush the whole surface with the oil/milk mixture.
5. 5 Spread a thin, even layer of the cheese filling (about 2 heaped tablespoons / roughly 50 g) along the edge closest to you, leaving a 2 cm (¾ in) border on the sides.
6. 6 Fold the left and right short sides inward over the filling, then roll the filo up tightly away from you into a neat cylinder.
7. 7 Starting from one end, coil the cylinder into a spiral, tucking the end underneath. Place it in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining filo and filling, arranging the spirals snugly side by side until the dish is full.
8. 8 Beat the remaining egg with a splash of milk and brush generously over the tops of the spirals. Drizzle any remaining oil mixture over the surface.
9. 9 Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes, until the top is deeply golden brown and crisp, and the filling is set - insert a skewer in the centre; it should come out hot (above 74 °C / 165 °F internal) with no wet cheese clinging to it.
10. 10 Rest the burek for at least 10 minutes before cutting. This lets the cheese filling firm up so it does not run out when sliced. Serve warm, traditionally with a glass of cold kefir, plain yoghurt, or ayran.