Simply Wanderfull
Bourek, a beloved pastry from the Mediterranean and Balkan regions, is a culinary delight that combines the flaky, golden layers of phyllo dough with a rich, savoury meat filling. I love the process of making these tasty meat pies! I will freeze them and pull them out as needed. They are so great to have on hand for a quick appetizer or even a meal! I love to serve these Bourek meat rolls with my recipe for Gin Spiked Sour Cream Recipe. These Bourek’s are wonderful to serve at family gatherings and special occasions!
In this step-by-step guide, I will walk you through the process of making meat-filled bourek, from preparing the perfect phyllo layers to crafting a flavourful meat filling. I also like to make my Greek-Style Cheese Triangles at the same time. A similar process of preparing them, and they look beautiful as a vegetarian option. They are so darn tasty and always a hit!
What is Bourek?
Bourek, also known as börek, burek, or boureka, is a term that encompasses a wide variety of savory pastries that originated in the Ottoman Empire.
Origin
- Bourek has its roots in Ottoman cuisine, dating back to the 14th century, and was influenced by the culinary traditions of Central Asia and the Middle East.
Ingredients
- The pastry component is typically made from thin, flaky dough such as yufka, phyllo, or puff pastry. These doughs are often hand-stretched or layered to achieve the desired flakiness.
Fillings
- Bourek can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including ground meat (beef, lamb), cheese (feta, kashkaval), spinach, potatoes, vegetables, and sometimes sweet fillings. The fillings are often flavoured with herbs and spices common to Turkish and Balkan cuisine.
Preparation
- The pastries can be prepared in various shapes, such as spirals, rolls, triangles, or large pans cut into squares. They can be either baked or fried, depending on the desired texture and flavour.
Cultural Significance
- Bourek is a staple in many cuisines, including Turkish, Balkan, Israeli, and Middle Eastern cuisines. It is enjoyed at various times of the day and is often served at special occasions and everyday meals.
In summary, bourek refers to a family of savoury pastries characterized by their thin, flaky dough and diverse fillings, with a rich history and cultural significance across multiple regions.
Special ingredients needed:
These Bourek meat rolls are delicious and that is because of a one single ingredient that really boosts the flavour and gives that signature taste. It is call Vegeta Gourmet Seasoning. It is rich savoury all purpose seasoning and has no MSG. It is great to have on hand for flavouring many dishes so it can be a good purchase to have in your pantry.
You will also need to find a good brand of Phyllo dough. I personally like the Cedar Brand, Alfa Brand, or Lila’s phyllo dough. Some other brands can be thinner phyllo dough and tends to rip easier.
ingredients:
Here are the ingredients to make the Bourek meat rolls:
- 2-3 lbs. lean ground beef
- 2-3 onions chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp. Vegeta
- 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 pkg. Phyllo dough
- 1 cup butter, melted
Instructions:
Begin by browning the beef in a large skillet. Once browned drain and wash the meat in cool water. Squeeze the water and fat out of the meat and place the meat back into the skillet.
Add chopped onions and water and cook until the onions are translucent and sweet to taste. Add in the Vegeta, garlic, pepper and flour. Cook for a couple more minutes and remove from the heat.
Melt your butter in a small saucepan. Grab a pastry brush to prepare for the rolling.
How to roll the Bourek Meat Streudle:
Open the package of phyllo dough and turn it towards you so that it is the shape of a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the phyllo into 5 strips.
Start by placing one sheet of phyllo, and butter the sheet. Place another phyllo sheet on top of the first sheet. Butter this sheet. Place a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture at the bottom of the phyllo sheets. fold both sides of the phyllo dough towards the meat. Start rolling the phyllo dough and meat together right up to the top. Butter the meat roll. Place on a baking sheet, or alternatively spray the inside of a Ziploc bag and place the roll inside the bag.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the meat bourek for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve the meat bourek with sour cream mixed with green onions. Enjoy!
*These meat bourek’s freeze so well. I liked to spray the inside of a Ziploc bag and then place the meat boureks inside the bag and freeze them. You can take them right from the freezer to the oven. They are so wonderful to have on hand for a quick dinner!
Bourek Meat Rolls
simplywanderfullIngredients
- 2-3 lbs. lean ground beef
- 2-3 onions chopped
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp. Vegeta
- 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 pkg. Phyllo dough
- 1 cup butter melted
Instructions
- Begin by browning the beef in a large skillet. Once browned drain and wash the meet in cool water. Squeeze the water and fat out of the meat and place the meat back into the skillet.
- Add chopped onions and water and cook until the onions are translucent and sweet to taste. Add in the vegeta, garlic, pepper and flour. Cook for a couple more minutes and remove from the heat.
- How to roll the meat bourek:
- Open the package of phyllo dough and turn it towards you so that it is the shape of a rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the phyllo into 5 strips.
- Start by placing one sheet of phyllo, butter the sheet. Place another phyllo sheet on top of the first sheet. Butter. Place a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture at the bottom of the phyllo sheets. fold both sides of the phyllo dough towards the meat. Start rolling the phyllo dough and meat together right up to the top. Butter the meat roll.
- Place the bourek meat roll on a baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the meat bourek for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
- Serve the meat bourek with sour cream mixed with green onions. Enjoy!
- *These meat bourek's freeze so well. I liked to spray the inside of a Ziploc bag and then place the meat boureks inside the bag and freeze them. You can take them right from the freezer to the oven. They are so wonderful to have on hand for a quick dinner!
Enjoy!
I hope that you find the process of making these bourek meat rolls fun and enjoyable. I also hope that you love the taste of them! They freeze so well and you can enjoy them in a pinch. If you have any questions for me about making these delightful treats send me a message! I would love to help you make them perfectly! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog article. Happy Cooking!