I ate byrek. it is a typical dish across many countries in the Balkans, but it is an Albanian pie made with filo pastry and filled with various things such as cheese, vegetables or meat.
Recipe:
Preheat-oven and prepare spinach- Preheat oven 175˚C (350˚F) and grease a round springform tin with butter. Add a tablespoon of oil to a frying pan over medium heat. Add in chopped spinach leaves. Saute for 5 minutes. Place into colander and strain out any leftover liquid, then place spinach into a large mixing bowl.
2. Make spinach feta mixture- To the bowl of wilted spinach, add spring onion, garlic, lemon zest, feta, ricotta, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix.
3. Compile byrek– Brush one sheet of filo pastry at a time with melted butter. Place into the bottom of the baking tin. Some of the pastry will hang over edge. Repeat with five more sheets of filo, changing the direction in which you put the sheet in the tin each time to ensure even edges. Pour in spinach feta filling. Top with six more sheets of filo pastry, spreading with melted butter each time.
Lastly, tightly fold in the overhanging filo pastry to seal up the pie. Brush top with another layer of melted butter. Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes before slicing up and serving.
There is something about the combination of spinach and feta cheese that works so wonderfully. Growing up, my grandparents always made me byrek, so these flavours bring back a happy wave of nostalgia for me. Glad to say I’m Albanian, our food is so delicious!
Estelll:
