This recipe is too good not to share! I grew up with my mom making these delicious “Pitas” also known as “Bureks” all made from scratch. There are several variations on how to make Balkan pita’s, they can be spirals (which is what I’m going to show you how to make below but it also can come in other forms such as a round pie shape. Burek, is also known as bourék, byurek, pita, bourekas, and savoury pies, and can be formed into horseshoe shapes, coils, cylinders, or round pies and are eaten as appetizers or as a main course. You can fill your pita’s or bureks with almost any filling you want such as meat, cheese, spinach and feta, apple, potato etc. The perfect pairing with your burek is Kefir, buttermilk or plain yogurt. The best kind is the Astro Original Balkan plain yogurt which is the best I could find in Vancouver, BC.

Olivera’s Balkan Pita’s

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What you’ll need

1. Ideally a marble or granite countertop with sufficient space approximately 37 in x 57 in (recommended)
2. A tablecloth (if you’re using a space that’s not marble) to protect your table
3. Rolling pin (good for beginners)
4. Stand mixer with dough hook
5. Two separate bowls for dough *large enough to allow the dough to soften
6. Saran wrap to cover the bowl with dough
7. Two separate bowls for each filling (meat and cheese)
8. Two sheet pans 19in x 12in
9. Parchment paper to line the pans
10. Oven mitts

Dough

Ingredients for two sheet pans (makes approx. 8-10 smaller pita’s per pan)

• 1kg white all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 500ml water
• 100ml canola oil

Fillings

Fillings measurements below makes two sheet pan each – (not limited to these options – they’re just the most popular)

Cheese (sirnica)	Meat (mesnica)	Spinach + Cheese
500g – 1% or 2% cottage cheese	800g extra lean or lean fresh ground beef	500g cottage cheese
250g – feta cheese	1 med onion (white or red)	250g ricotta
250g – ricotta cheese	2 cloves garlic	150g feta
1 tbs olive oil	1.5 tsp salt	350g spinach *finely chopped
	1 tsp vegeta	2 tbs olive oil
	1 tsp	½ tsp salt

Instructions

1. Combine flour and water, then stir with spoon to prevent poofs. Add salt then oil. Stir again before using stand mixer.
2. Stand mix on low for 5 minutes. For the last 5 minutes set to medium. Add flour as needed to ensure the dough has a pizza dough like texture.
3. While the stand mixer is working, pre-heat the oven to 175 F for 5 minutes. Turn OFF the oven off to cool.
4. On a flat surface such as a cutting board, prepare a space to take out dough.
5. Unplug the mixer so you don’t lose a finger.
6. Before removing the dough to the cutting board. Use a wooden spoon or spatula, sprinkle some flour to prevent stickiness and fold the dough from the edges of the bowl to center then dab it in.
7. Knead dough, sprinkle with flour until dough is smooth. Cut in half.
8. Pour 50ml of oil into your bowls, separate dough into two bowls.
9. Place in warmed oven, and leave to rest between 2-4 hours.
10. Prepare the fillings according to measurements above.
11. Oil the surface and spread it out to cover entire area.
12. Sprinkle flour on the surface
13. Put your ball of dough in the centre of your surface and drizzle the remaining oil on top of the ball of dough. Start in the centre of the dough and slowly pull and spread your dough ball. Every time you stretch you must start in the middle and pull outwards until it is the size of the surface.
14. Once dough is stretched (should be as thin as possible without breaking)
15. Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. After it is lined with parchment, lightly drizzle oil on the surface.
16. Using a plastic knife cut down the middle of your spread-out dough. This will create smaller spirals. Alternatively, you may leave as is and your spirals will just be larger.
17. Preheat oven to 375F.
18. Begin spreading your filing (best to start with the cheese one first) on the dough. Start an inch from one side of the thinly spread-out dough and make your way to the other side. Roll the dough enough to hold the filling.
19. Use a plastic knife or butter knife to cut along the edge. Spiral into a spiral snail shape and ensure the two ends are sealed by dabbing them shut.
20. Place and pan and repeat.
21. Place in oven and cook for approx. 30-45 min* on 375 F – 400 F * timing will depend on the oven you have. Pitas are done with there is browning on the tops.
22. Best served with Balkan style plain yogurt.