Burek with Cheese

Shopping list

• 400 g phyllo pastry — about 10–12 sheets

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• 300 g feta cheese — crumbled

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• 200 g ricotta or cottage cheese

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• 2 piece eggs — lightly beaten

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• 100 ml natural yoghurt

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• 100 g melted butter

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• 50 ml sparkling water

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• 0.5 tsp salt

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• 0.25 tsp black pepper

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Step by step

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan).

2. 2

   In a large bowl, combine the crumbled feta, ricotta or cottage cheese, beaten eggs, yoghurt, salt and black pepper. Mix until well blended and creamy.

3. 3

   Unroll the phyllo pastry and cover with a damp tea towel to prevent it drying out.

4. 4

   Take one sheet of phyllo, brush it lightly all over with melted butter, then place a second sheet on top and brush again. Repeat so you have a stack of 2–3 sheets.

5. 5

   Spread a generous line of the cheese mixture along one long edge of the phyllo stack, leaving a 2 cm border. Roll the phyllo up from the filled edge into a loose log.

6. 6

   Carefully coil the log into a spiral and place it in the centre of a greased round 24 cm cake tin. Continue with the remaining phyllo and filling, coiling each new log around the previous one to form a large spiral.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining melted butter and the sparkling water. Pour this mixture evenly over the entire burek.

8. 8

   Bake for 40– 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp, golden brown on top and the cheese filling is set.

9. 9

   Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then slice into wedges and serve warm.