Over countless trips to Croatia throughout the years, there is one thing that I look forward to eating the most: burek. This Balkan filo pie can be filled with an array of different things, from cheese and spinach to minced meat to pizza sauce and cheese. But one of my all-time favourite fillings is potato.

This is a hearty form of burek that is perfect for those who love anything with potatoes. And living so far from Croatia these days, I’ve developed a recipe to easily make this delicious pie at home – and using frozen filo pastry means that it couldn’t be easier!

How to Make Potato Burek

Make sure that you’ve defrosted your filo pastry overnight in the fridge the day before you want to bake. That’s really the only foresight that’s needed!

Now, to get started, we need to make the filling. This starts with boiling your potatoes. Use a medium starch content potato like a Yukon Gold for best results – and I don’t bother peeling them. Just make sure that they’re well scrubbed.

Cut the potatoes into quarters and then add them to a large saucepan. Cover with cool water and add in some salt – I call for a full tablespoon in the recipe as that ensures that the potatoes get really evenly seasoned. You won’t end up actually ingesting all of that salt in the end.

Cover the pot and set it over high heat. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the potatoes to simmer until they’re fork tender – this will take about 10 minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked, go ahead and drain them and add them back into the same pot.

Meanwhile, add some olive oil to a small skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add in some minced garlic, chili flakes and paprika. Cook for about 30 seconds before removing from the heat.

Cooking the garlic, paprika and chili flakes

Pour the olive oil mixture over the cooked potatoes. Add in some chopped fresh parsley and then roughly mash the potatoes with a masher. Don’t be too fussed about getting everything perfectly smooth – the filling is better with a bit of texture.

Taste to adjust for seasoning and add a bit more salt or some pepper if you think it needs it, and then set the filling aside to get to shaping your burek!

Now, working one sheet of filo pastry at a time, lay a piece of pastry down on a clean work surface and brush it with melted butter.

Lay another sheet of pastry down next to it, overlapping the ends by a few centimetres. Brush with butter and then lay another sheet down next to that one – the total length should be about a metre.

Then repeat with another layer of butter and pastry!

Now, evenly spread the filling over the top quarter of the pastry – along the longest part of the pastry. Once all of the filling is added, very carefully roll the pastry around the filling so that it resembles a long log.

With the seam facing inward, coil the filled filo into a spiral, tucking the end underneath the coil. Then, transfer your formed burek to a parchment-lined baking tray.

Brush the burek with any remaining butter and then move it to a preheated 190°C/375°F oven.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and super golden brown. To avoid burning your mouth like crazy, I highly recommend waiting at least 10 minutes before digging in.

Balkan Potato Burek

This flaky filo pie filled with a spiced potato mixture is a favourite across the Balkans – and it's not hard to see why. Using store-bought filo pastry, this couldn't be easier to make at home.

Tried This? Rate It!

No ratings yet

Print Pin

Servings 2

Prep Time 25

Total Time 55

Ingredients

300 g (10 ½ oz) potatoes about 2 medium, such as Yukon Gold
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp sweet paprika
¼ tsp chili flakes
5 g (1 tbsp) flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
100 g (3 ½ oz) filo pastry about 6 sheets, defrosted
50 g (3 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Cut the potatoes into quarters and add them to a large saucepan. Add the salt and cover with cool water. Cover the pot, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until fork tender – about 10-15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan.
Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a skillet and set over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the garlic, paprika and chili flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds before removing from the heat.
Pour the oil mixture over the potatoes and add the parsley. Use a potato masher to roughly mash the potatoes – it's okay if there are lumps and texture. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside.
On a clean work surface, lay down one sheet of filo pastry and brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet of pastry down next to it, overlapping the ends by about 5 cm (2 in). Brush with more butter and repeat with one more sheet of filo so that the strip of pastry measures roughly 1 metre (3 feet). Continue to brush and layer the filo so you have one more even layer.
Arrange the filo strip lengthwise across your work surface. Evenly spread the filling over the top quarter of the pastry.
Working carefully, tightly roll the pastry around the filling so that it resembles a long cigar. With the seam-side facing in, gently spin the log into a spiral, tucking the end under the burek. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the exterior with any remaining melted butter.
Bake the burek until the pastry is crisp and deeply golden brown – about 35-40 minutes. Allow the burek to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.