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.
- 200g SpinachYou can make this recipe with the stalk or remove them.
- 2 Eggs
- 180g Cheddar Cheese
- 25g Cream Cheese
- 4 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 220ml WaterOptional
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
Directions
I’ve got a few different Byrek recipes on here, Spinach Byrek, Cheese Byrek and even a Spinach Pite. This Albanian Spinach and Cheese Byrek is a combination and like the others can be made with homemade or ready made, pre-rolled filo pastry. 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 and place into a mixing bowl. Add the eggs and cheeses. 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. |
5 Comments Hide Comments
Michelle made this for my lunch today and it was absolutely gorgeous!
Never heard of using cheddar cheese for pite but worth a try
I’m not a big fan of feta, i find the salt too strong so the salt is reduced by using chedder (or ricotta which is amazing).
This is made with feta cheese and no other cheese added to it, than it is not an albanian recipe. You need milk/ yogurt(homemade), feta cheese and eggs. You can add as you wish for the pie not to be too salty. Spinach goes very well with dry mint( menderz) and couple of spoon of olive oil. It is best with home made dough sheets and when you bake it splash a little milk to keep it soft after is baked. try it and you will love it.
Hi Flower, thank you so much for reaching out 🙂
You’ve got a couple of my recipes muddled – This recipe is not Byrek me Spinaq (spinach byrek)- which is the recipe you are detailing. A spinach and feta filing is called Byrek me Spinaq not Byrek me Djathë dhe Spinaq.
Byrek me Djathë dhe Spinaq is something we have in our village and consists of multiple cheeses with spinach, therefore called cheese and spinach byrek.
The recipe you are referring too is this one: https://www.myalbanianfood.com/recipe/albanian-spinach-byrek/ which is spinach and only feta. And yes, homemade pastry is much much much better!