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.
- 2 Eggs
- 300g Cottage Cheese
- 50g Crumbled Feta Cheese
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 220ml WaterOptional
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
Directions
Albanian Cheese Byrek can come in many shapes, normally rolled or horseshoe but you can also make sticks, squares or triangles filled with any filling. 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).
Steps
1 Done | Create the FillingIn a mixing bowl, combine and mix well the cottage cheese, eggs and feta until a thick mixture is formed. |
2 Done | Fill the PastryUsing four sheets at a time layered, add some of the cheese mixture into the middle, you can fold into any shape, I like to make squares. To fold into a square, take the bottom right corner and fold upwards, fold the left hand side over the corner folder up, then fold down from the top. |
3 Done | Prepare all ByrekRepeat step 2 creating 6 cheese byrek. Oil the based of a baking dish and place the cheese byrek inside. Brush olive oil all over them and sprinkle with basil. |
4 Done | CookingBake in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. |
5 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. |
6 Comments Hide Comments
These are fantastic! I made them tonight per this recipe. Fellow American peeps: ask Google to help you convert grams to ounces! And the cooking at 180° mentioned in the recipe is Celsius! This equates to 350°F. One third of the way through, I changed this to 375°F and the last few minutes, I bumped it up to 425°. Utterly delicious with a little side salad. Can’t wait to make these again (and again).
Thank you so much for your positive feedback and also your tips on the temperature. So glad you like them, we make them for packed lunches too 🙂
My 9 year-old son made some cheese byrek for a school project – totally delicious! He added oil/melted butter between the filo pastry layers.
Thanks for this website – great idea – Albanian food deserves to be more widely known.
Awwww that is lovely to hear! My 5 year old daughter loves helping me cook, it’s great when they try something new too!
Well done to your son!
I can’t wait to try this. After coming home from my trip to Albania I’ve been craving this. Can’t wait to expose my American friends and family to Albanian food.
Made this today but modified the recipe to include 2 T of Ricotta and some chopped green onion. Trying to replicate the way my Mother used to make it. She passed away in 2002 and unfortunately, her recipe passed with her. This was very close – and very delicious!! Thanks for sharing!