Ingredients
- 400g (12 Sheets) Filo PastryThis recipe works better with ready made pastry. Ensue you keep the pastry covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out while working with it.
- 750g SpinachYou can make this recipe with the stalk or remove them.
- 2 Eggs
- 25g Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 220ml WaterOptional
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
Directions
Byrek in Albania can be made with homemade or ready made, pre-rolled filo pastry, personally I find that for this Albanian Spinach Byrek it works better with the ready made. The name ‘Byrek’ is one of a few, some will call it Borek, Burek or even Pite (when made as a whole pie instead of individual batches).
I love making these for lunch, they are even the perfect size for packed lunches.
Steps
1 Done | Create the FillingEnsure all stalks are cut off the spinach if required and place them into a mixing bowl. Add the two eggs and crumble in the cheese. Mix together so the egg covers all the spinach. |
2 Done | Fill the PastryTake two sheets of pastry, add some of the filling along the long edge leaving about an inch underneath. Fold in both sides about 2 inches, then from the bottom, fold the inch left over the mixture then roll upwards to make a long sausage shape. |
3 Done | Roll loosely into swirls or fold into horseshoe shapes. |
4 Done | Prepare all ByrekRepeat steps 2 and 3 creating 6 byrek. Oil the based of a baking dish and place the byrek inside against each other. |
5 Done | CookingBrush olive oil all over the byrek and sprinkle with basil. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. |
6 Done | OptionalIf you are not making the byrek for packed lunches, once removed from the oven, pour half a glass of cold water over the top, then half into base of the dish. Cover with two tea towels and leave for 1 hour before serving. |
7 Comments Hide Comments
I have never seen or heard of covering the pie with water. It should make the burek soggy. We like it crisp.
Hi Virginia,
It is very common amongst the villages, it softens the pie – its not enough water to make it soggy 🙂
We also keep it crisp when packing up for lunches.
Does it have to be fresh spinach, or isit possible to use frozen?
Hello – good question 🙂
You can use frozen spinach however it may make the pastry soggy so best to let it defrost first. You can also use tinned pureed spinach, it works very well.
Enjoy your cooking – let me know how it goes!
Is there a recipe for the meat filled ones ?
Hi Leeanne, I do have a Byrek me Mish recipe, it is: https://www.myalbanianfood.com/recipe/albanian-meat-byrek/
Enjoy!