Meat Burek Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brown ground beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat; stir in allspice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer beef to a large bowl and stir in potato and onion.
• Unroll phyllo pastry and transfer 2 sheets to a work surface; stack sheets. Spoon 1/8th of the ground beef 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.

Steps:

• In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the peppers, pul biber and onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and meat to a bowl and let cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly oil a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and 1/2 cup of the canola oil. Lay a sheet of yufka on a work surface and brush with the egg mixture; repeat until you have a stack of 2 sheets. Transfer the stack to the baking dish and spread one-third of the beef mixture on top. Repeat the layering twice more with the brushed yufka sheets and beef filling, then end with a stack of brushed yufka.
• Trim the overhanging yufka slightly and tuck it under itself. Brush any remaining egg mixture on top of the borek, top with the nigella sativa seeds and bake until deeply golden on top and sizzling, about 45 minutes. Let the borek rest for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Steps:

• Brown meat in pan at medium-hi heat.
• Drain and transfer browned meat to a medium bowl to cool.
• When the meat has cooled crumble cheese and add to the meat.
• Add the parsley, garlic thyme and pepper and mix well.
• Let this sit for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl beat the egg with water to make an egg wash.
• Working quickly now, so the phyllo does not dry out.
• Take 1 sheet phyllo dough brush or spray with olive oil, place another sheet on top and brush or spray again.
• Cut the two sheets into six rectangles.
• Take a good tablespoon of meat mix and place it about an 1 ½" to 2 inches up from one of the corners of the rectangle.
• Lift the corner of the pastry and fold over the meat mixture, then lift and fold the corner on the right and then left to make and envelope about 3- 4 inches wide, then roll up to top.
• Repeat for the next five pieces.
• Brush with egg wash.
• Heat some of the olive oil in a heavy pan a fry the meat rolls, turning to brown on all sides, lightly flatten them with spatula while frying.
• Repeat the dough and rolling with the rest of the dough sheets.
• These are also very nice cold.
• I sometimes use a Tzatziki sauce for dip or mint sauce if using lamb.

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
• Add the lamb and stir-fry a minute.
• Add the onion, parsley, salt, pepper and cinnamon and cook over medium low heat til lamb is cooked through.
• Take one sheet of phyllo and fold both side to the center length-wise.
• Sprinkle lightly with melted butter.
• Place 2 heaping tablespoons of meat stuffing at one end of the phyllo.
• Press it out til it is about 4 inches wide and 1 inch deep.
• Roll the dough over and roll about 3 times.
• Sprinkle a bit more butter on the end and dab with egg to seal.
• Do this with the remaining meat mix and phyllo.
• Bake in a buttered baking dish in 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.