Burek with spinach and ricotta

Name: Burek with spinach and ricotta
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Type 00 flour 4 cups; Water warm 1 cup; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Fine salt to taste; White wine vinegar 2 tsp; Spinach 4.4 cups; Fresh scallion to clean 5.6 oz; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Eggs 2; Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1.3 cups; Butter melted 1 ¼ cup; Cornstarch to taste

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614

Calories per serving

Energy Kcal 614
Carbohydrates g 54
of which sugars g 4.3
Protein g 15.1
Fats g 37.5
of which saturated fat g 20.05
Fiber g 3.4
Cholesterol mg 154
Sodium mg 381

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Very difficult
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Low
Note + 30 minutes of resting time for the phyllo dough

PRESENTATION

Spinach and ricotta burek—oh man, it’s a dish that really gets people talking at the table. It comes from the Balkan and Turkish regions, where it is often called byrek or börek. And look, it's known for its super thin filo pastry that’s seriously crispy on the outside and so so tender inside. Pretty amazing, right? Folks love to fill it with all sorts of goodies, but this version focuses on spinach and ricotta burek. Think savory pie with greens and creamy cheese. Making homemade filo dough? I gotta say, it takes some effort, but you end up with a crust that's so thin it almost melts, offering a mix of moist filling and crackly edges—can't go wrong with that.

You’ll find many local twists—sometimes with meat, sometimes just veggies or a mix of salty cheeses. But the spinach and ricotta pie hits the sweet spot that works for just about anyone. Across the Balkans and Turkey, they make this spinach and cheese burek for family dinners or as a quick snack. The filling usually mixes chopped spinach with fresh ricotta, plus a little seasoning, resulting in a creamy and slightly earthy flavor. And listen, the way those filo layers are brushed and stacked creates a pie that's both golden and flaky. Some shape it into spirals or coils—others keep it simple and flat. But that combo of soft middle and crispy shell? For sure.

When you cut into a piece, the layers kind of shatter, revealing the tender filling against the crunchy outside. With a plate of spinach and ricotta pastry or a slice of spinach and ricotta filo pie, you’re tasting something that’s been loved for generations—pretty special, honestly. Whether you call it a Balkan spinach pie or a Turkish classic, it always brings that homemade vibe to the table. Which is great.

INGREDIENTS

614

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 13-inch pan: Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g); Water 1 cup (260 g) - warm; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Fine salt to taste; White wine vinegar 2 tsp (10 g)

for the filling: Spinach 4.4 cups (700 g); Fresh scallion 5.6 oz (160 g) - to clean; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Eggs 2; Cow's milk ricotta cheese 1.3 cups (300 g); Butter 1 ¼ cup (270 g) - melted; Cornstarch to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Burek with spinach and ricotta

To prepare the burek, start with the phyllo dough: in a bowl, pour the flour, salt 1, vinegar 2, and oil 3.

Knead with your hands, gradually adding the water 4. Once all the ingredients are gathered, transfer the dough to a work surface 5 and form a smooth dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap 6 and let it rest at room temperature while you continue with the preparation.

Slice the spring onion 7, wash and chop the spinach as well 8. In a large pan, heat the oil 9 and sauté the spring onion for a few moments.

Add the spinach last 11 and let them wilt for 5 minutes with the lid on until they are soft. Then add salt 12 and pepper.

Transfer the cooked spinach into a bowl and let them cool 13. Add the ricotta, eggs 14 to the filling, and mix to combine 15.

Now take the phyllo dough and roll it out with your hands to form a log 16, divide it with a dough cutter into 14 equal pieces 17, and roll them into balls 18.

Keep the balls in a cloth to prevent them from drying out 19 and work on them one at a time. Roll out the balls with a little cornstarch using a thin rolling pin 20, the pastry should be very thin, almost transparent 21.

Brush a 13-inch baking pan with melted butter 22 and lay the first sheet of dough by rolling it onto the rolling pin and then unrolling it over the pan 23, letting the excess dough hang over the edges. Brush the sheet with melted butter as well 34.

Continue by laying out a total of 8 sheets 25 26, always greasing them with butter. Now fill with the filling, distributing it with a spoon 27.

Continue by laying out the remaining sheets, always brushing the surface with melted butter 28. Lay the last sheet 29 and fold the edges to seal well 30.

Brush the surface again 31 and make cuts with a knife to let the air out and prevent the pastry from puffing up during baking 32. Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 50 minutes. When done, remove the burek from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving 33.

Storage

The burek can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, we recommend reheating it before serving. You can also freeze the uncooked burek and bake it directly from frozen, ensuring to extend the baking time.

Advice

You can use ready-made phyllo dough following the same procedure. It is not necessary to drain the spinach, it is correct that they remain a bit watery so the pastry will stay soft during cooking and will not dry out.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.