Byrek Shqipëtar Me Perime Albanian Vegetable Pie Food

BYREK SHQIPëTAR ME PERIME (ALBANIAN VEGETABLE PIE)

Steps:

• A medium-sized, round baking pan is recommended because it's more authentic but any medium-sized baking pan will do.
• Brush the baking pan with some of the oil, and start laying the pastry leaves inside. First, lay two leaves, sprinkle or brush with oil, then lay two other leaves, and repeat the procedure until half of the leaves are laid. Make sure that they cover the pan by hanging them about one inch over the edges of the pan.
• Sprinkle spinach with salt, then mix well by hand. Add the feta cheese, oil, onions, eggs and salt, and spread this mixture over the already laid pastry leaves. Finish by covering the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves repeating the first-half procedure and then roll the hanging edges of the bottom leaves over the pie (think of a pizza crust), sprinkle top with oil and bake moderately at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot, accompanied with buttermilk, or beaten yogurt, thinned down in cold water or with chilled stewed prunes. Sometimes a green salad adds to the meal!

ALBANIAN BYREK

Steps:

• Prepare the dough with flour, 1 and a half cups of cold water, 1 spoon of oil, 1 spoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of salt, so that the dough may obtain average solidity.
• Press and mix the dough well, then divide in two equally sized pieces. Then divide the pieces into 10-12 ball shaped pieces.
• Spread the balls in well-shaped circles of the size of a plate. Place the circle-shaped dough on top of one another so as to obtain two large pies.
• Cover each pie with melted butter and leave for about half an hour to 1 hour.
• During this time wash a bowl of spinach, dock or sorrel, cut thin, add salt and leave in salt for about 15-20 minutes, then squash.
• Mix the spinach, dock or sorrel with half to 1 cup yogurt and 2-3 eggs.
• You can replace the yogurt with crumbled feta cheese. Cover the baking pan with melted butter.
• Spread one of the dough pies to cover the entire pan and gently pull up the ends, then sprinkle melted butter on it and spread the spinach on it uniformly.
• Spread the second dough pie on top of the spinach.
• Cut the byrek in square slices, sprinkle with melted butter and place in a hot oven until cooked.
• Byrek is served hot accompanied with yogurt.

ALBANIAN VEGETABLE PIE

Steps:

• Use a medium-sized round baking pan.
• Brush the baking pan with some of the oil.
• Start laying the pastry leaves inside.
• First, lay two leaves, sprinkle or brush with oil, then lay two other leaves, and repeat the procedure until half of the leaves are used.
• Make sure that they overlap the edges of the pan by about 1 inch.
• Sprinkle spinach with salt (optional), and mix well by hand.
• Add the feta cheese, oil, onions, eggs and salt (optional)
• Spread the mixture over the already laid pastry leaves.
• Cover the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves repeating the first-half procedure.
• Roll the hanging edges of the bottom leaves over the pie (like a pizza crust).
• Sprinkle top with oil
• Bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Serve hot, accompanied with buttermilk, or beaten yogurt, thinned down in cold water or with chilled stewed prunes.