How to make homemade phyllo dough, tradition in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The land of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a unique mixture of different cultures and civilizations, all of which has also reflected on its cuisine.

Traditional food in Bosnia and Herzegovina is often prepared with meat, and meals are plentiful and delicious. The meat is of extraordinary quality, often organic, and well prepared. Meat is the ingredient of some of the most popular Bosnian dishes such as Bosnian pot, ćevapi, Bey soup, burek, and bean soup.

One of the favorite meals in the whole country are homemade pies. Almost every housewife learned how to make a pie by the recipe of her mother or grandmother.

This pastry which is traditionally rolled in spiral and cut into sections for serving. It can be filled with meat, cheese, potataoes and even other combinations.

The meat filled pastry is called burek and it is the food you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just as a snack.

How to make homemade pie dough?

For the dough you need the following ingredients: plain flour, salt, water and vegetable oil. Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the water a little at a time, mixing with your hand, until the dough comes together. You may not need all of the water. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until soft and elastic. Divide into four and flatten to about 2½ cm or an inch.

Unroll phyllo pastry and transfer 2 sheets to a work surface; stack sheets. This homemade dough is called jufka.

The next steps depend on the filling you decide to out into the pie. When making burek, for the meat filling the following ingredients are needed: oil, onions, beef mince, potato, clove garlic, rosemary, smoked paprika and salt. Cook all of the ingredients together.

Spoon 1/8th of the ground meat mixture down one long edge of the phyllo pastry. Roll phyllo into a tube, encasing beef. Shape the tube into a coil (snail shape). Place the roll on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Repeat, placing finished rolls up against one another to keep them from unrolling.

Bake burek in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

And that`s how it is done!