Name: Burek sa sirom
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 portions
Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients: 500 g thin phyllo pastry, kept covered until used; 500 g full-fat white brined cheese, crumbled; 250 ml water, at room temperature; 150 ml sunflower oil, divided; 5 g fine salt, dissolved into the oil-water mixture

Yield 8 portions

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

Passive time 10 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Serbian Burek sa Sirom with White Cheese and Crisp Phyllo

Burek sa sirom is a cheese-filled member of the broad burek family, a group of pastries whose names, shapes and fillings shift across the Balkans. In Serbia, especially in bakery culture, “burek” can comfortably refer to a round pie filled with cheese as well as meat. Niš is particularly associated with burek and celebrates the pastry with its own Days of Burek. This recipe stays within that Serbian usage and concentrates on a straightforward home method using prepared phyllo.

The ingredient list is intentionally short: phyllo, full-fat white brined cheese, water, sunflower oil and a small measured amount of salt. There are no eggs, yogurt or sour cream. That matters because it keeps the texture distinct from the gibanica in this batch. Burek should show irregular layers of pastry with pockets of cheese rather than a soft egg-bound custard holding the sheets together.

The oil-and-water mixture controls both tenderness and crispness. Water lightly hydrates the inner phyllo so the folds do not bake into brittle paper, while oil separates layers and supports browning. Because oil and water quickly separate in the bowl, the mixture needs a quick whisk before each round of sprinkling. Saturating one spot and leaving another dry produces exactly the uneven texture the method is trying to avoid.

A 28 cm round pan suits the amount of pastry. A few base sheets are arranged with their edges hanging over the rim, then the rest are loosely crumpled into the centre. Cheese goes through the depth of the pie rather than sitting in one heavy band. The hanging sheets finally fold over the top, making a contained round package with crisp outer surfaces and a softer interior.

Full-fat white cheese gives the filling its salty, slightly tangy character. The cheese should be crumbled rather than blended and should be firm enough not to release a pool of whey. The additional 5 g salt belongs to the oil-water mixture, so a very salty cheese can make the finished pie noticeably saltier than the nutrition estimate. The recipe assumes a full-flavoured but not aggressively brined cheese.

At 180 °C, the burek needs about 40–45 minutes. The important signs are a deeply golden top, a crisp rim and a centre that feels hot and cohesive rather than wet when the pan is moved. Pale phyllo usually means the lower layers have not finished drying and browning. The pie then rests for 10 minutes, long enough for steam to settle without sacrificing the crust.

Burek sa sirom is often eaten warm for breakfast, frequently with yogurt. It is also substantial enough to serve as a snack or simple meal. The eight-portion yield assumes wedges from one 28 cm round pie; yogurt and any other accompaniment are outside the nutrition calculation.

Practical

Whisk before every splashWater and oil separate quickly, so re-mixing prevents one area from receiving mostly oil and another mostly water.
Crumple loosely rather than pack tightlyAir between folds helps the pastry cook through and creates crisp internal edges.
Bake for colour, not just the minimum clock timeThe pie should be deeply golden at the top and crisp around the rim before it leaves the oven.

Ingredients

500 g thin phyllo pastry, kept covered until used
500 g full-fat white brined cheese, crumbled
250 ml water, at room temperature
150 ml sunflower oil, divided
5 g fine salt, dissolved into the oil-water mixture

Directions

Heat the oven and prepare the panPreheat the oven to 180 °C. Lightly coat the 28 cm round pan with a small amount from the measured 150 ml sunflower oil.
Mix the moistening liquidWhisk the 250 ml water, remaining sunflower oil and 5 g fine salt for about 2 minutes. The mixture will separate again, so whisk briefly before each use.
Layer phyllo and cheeseSpend about 8 minutes on assembly. Line the pan with 2–3 phyllo sheets so their edges hang over the rim. Loosely crumple the remaining sheets into the pan, splashing each layer with the oil-water mixture and scattering the 500 g crumbled cheese through every second layer. Keep the unused phyllo covered.
Close and bakeFold the overhanging sheets across the top and moisten the surface with the remaining liquid. Bake at 180 °C for 40–45 minutes, until the pie is deeply golden, crisp at the rim and hot through the centre.
Rest before slicingLet the burek stand for 10 minutes, then cut it into 8 wedges. The filling should remain in distinct cheese pockets rather than running from the cut.

Practical

Serving

Serve burek warm rather than straight from the oven. The short rest makes wedges easier to lift while the crust still has a pronounced crunch. Plain yogurt is a common partner, but it is not included in the ingredient list or nutrition values.

Make-ahead

The pie may be assembled up to 1 hour ahead and kept covered at or below 4 °C. Bake it directly from refrigeration. If it needs a few additional minutes for full browning, use the colour and crispness cues rather than raising the oven above 180 °C.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them at or below 4 °C for 3–4 days. Reheat a wedge in a moderate oven until the centre reaches 74 °C. The oven restores more crust than a microwave, although the inner layers will remain softer than when freshly baked.

Control points

The centre is soggyGuidance: Too much oil-water mixture collected in one area or the pie was underbaked.Adjustment: Distribute the liquid lightly across many folds and continue baking until the centre is hot and the rim is crisp.
The phyllo breaks before it reaches the panGuidance: The stack has dried in the air.Adjustment: Keep unused sheets covered and expose only the sheet being handled.
The outside is greasyGuidance: Too much oil has pooled on a few sheets.Adjustment: Re-whisk the mixture and use light, repeated splashes rather than pouring it in one place.

Nutrition

Serving size1 of 8 wedges
Calories505 kcal
Carbohydrates34 g
Protein13 g
Fat36 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium880 mg

Values are approximate. White brined cheeses vary widely in moisture, fat and sodium, so the estimate uses a full-fat cheese model together with the measured phyllo, sunflower oil and 5 g added salt.

Allergens and food safety

Burek sa sirom contains milk and wheat/gluten. Keep the cheese at or below 4 °C until the pie is assembled. Do not allow the completed unbaked pie to sit at room temperature while the oven heats or another dish finishes.

Refrigerate baked leftovers within 2 hours and store at or below 4 °C for 3–4 days. Reheat to 74 °C in the centre. Use clean cutting and serving utensils, particularly if the same work surface has been used for other raw foods.

Result: A round, deeply browned cheese burek with crisp outer phyllo, tender inner folds and distinct pockets of salty white cheese.

Key: Light, repeated moistening and loose crumpling create layers; compacting the pastry or flooding it with liquid makes the centre heavy.