Balkan Feta-Cream Cheese Pie (Burek sa Sirom)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 12/27/22
Flaky burek goes great with a glass of cold kefir.

Barbara Rolek 

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
877 Calories
69g Fat
45g Carbs
21g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 877
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 69g 88%
Saturated Fat 33g 163%
Cholesterol 208mg 69%
Sodium 1205mg 52%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 4mg 18%
Calcium 436mg 34%
Iron 4mg 20%
Potassium 196mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Burek sa sirom is a Balkan savory pie made with flaky filo (also spelled "phyllo") dough and, in this case, a combination of feta and cream cheeses.

It is popular among Bulgarians, Bosnians, Serbians, Croats, Turks and, of course, there are the famous triangle-shaped Greek spanakopitas.

There are myriad versions of burek some with cheese filling and some with meat filling. They can be round (as this one is) or coiled into horseshoe shapes or cigar shapes as well as those baked in a 13x9-inch pan.

A slice of burek goes great with a glass of cold kefir especially, some say, if you have a hangover.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound feta cheese, crumbled

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

  • 1 (1-pound) package filo dough, thawed

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large bowl, mix together feta cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add eggs, parsley, and dill, mixing well. Set aside.

  3. Separate filo dough into two piles of 24 sheets. Cut filo dough sheets in half. You should have two piles of 48 leaves. Cover with parchment paper followed by a damp towel or plastic wrap so they don't dry out.

  4. Heat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and ​olive oil. Using a pastry brush, butter 6 (8-inch) round shallow pans.​

  5. Lay down 2 sheets of filo dough and brush with butter-oil mixture. Repeat with 2 more sheets of filo dough and butter-oil mixture. Spread 1/6 of the cheese mixture evenly on top and to the edges.

  6. Lay down 2 sheets of filo dough on top of the cheese mixture and brush with butter-oil mixture. Repeat with 2 more sheets. Tuck edges of filo down sides of pan to create a rounded edge. Brush generously with butter-oil mixture.

  7. Repeat for 5 remaining pies. Each pie will use 4 sheets on the bottom and 4 sheets on the top for a total of 8 sheets each.

  8. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

  9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Bureks can be assembled and frozen unbaked. When ready to serve, bake directly from the freezer, increasing baking time by at least 15 minutes.

Turn Burek Into an Appetizer

One burek easily can be cut into six pie-shaped wedges to be served as an appetizer on a mezze, or appetizer, spread with kajmak cheese, pogacha bread or a flatbread known as lepinje, and cevapcici sausages.