Croatian Pita Food

EASY CROATIAN BUREK RECIPE

Steps:

• Take a large bowl and combine the flour and the salt
• Add the water bit by bit, mixing until the mixture forms a dough
• Knead the dough for around five minutes, until it turns quite stretchy
• Split the dough mixture into batches of four and press down to flatten
• You need to find a bowl or a pan which is large enough to hold the dough when it is piled up on top of each other
• Add a little bit of vegetable oil to the pan or bowl and put the first flattened piece of dough inside
• Add a bit more oil (not too much), and add another piece of dough - repeat until you've done the same with all four pieces
• Add more vegetable oil on top of the last piece and place to one side to rest
• Preheat your oven to around 200°C (390°F)
• Add a little vegetable oil over your work surface (a table is best) - just a little!
• Remove one piece of dough from the bowl and remove the excess oil
• Flatten the piece of dough until it reaches a thickness of no more than around half a centimeter
• Handle the dough and stretch it outwards, over and over, so that you pull it to around 1 meter in diameter - you might end up with a few holes but don't worry about it too much. By the end, you should be able to see through the dough
• Take one side of the dough disc and fold it over, towards the center
• Repeat this process until you have a shape that resembles a pentagon
• Repeat with the second piece of dough
• Add your filling (see below for the filling instructions) to the dough piece
• Add the first piece of stretched dough into the middle of the second one, and cut away the thick edge of the second piece - you can throw this away, you won't need it
• Fold over the edges of the dough, so that you get a pentagon shape once more, and put it into a baking pan or tray
• Put the pan in the oven and bake for around half an hour, until it is a golden color
• Remove from the oven and let it cool down
• Cut into 12 pieces
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough
• Bake until the pastry turns golden, and serve while warm!
• Take a mixing bowl and add in both kinds of cheese, combining together
• Add the egg and combine once more
• Take a large pan and heat up the oil over a medium heat
• Add the onion and cook until soft
• Now, add the mince and cook for around 2 minutes, stirring regularly
• Now, add the potato, the rosemary, the garlic, and the paprika, and stir to combine
• Add the salt and continue to cook, ensuring the beef mince is cooked through
• Once cooked, drain the beef with a sieve to get rid of any excess oil and press down to dry it out

APPLE PIE BARS (CROATIAN PITA)

Steps:

• DOUGH: Combine flour, baking powder, egg, sugar and butter to make a dough. If the dough is too dry, add up to 1 Tbsp milk. Do not overwork the dough. Wrap it and cool in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
• FILLING: Peel and grate apples. Mix with sugar and cinnamon. Adjust the sweetness to your taste.
• ASSEMBLE: Divide the dough in half. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Press one half of the dough into the bottom of the 9x13" baking pan and up the sides. Sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and spoon in apple filling. Cover with the top crust.
• Bake at 170 C (340 F) for about 45 minutes or until the crust is pale golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, cut into squares and serve.

BUREK

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brown ground beef in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain fat; stir in allspice, paprika, salt, and pepper. Transfer beef to a large bowl and stir in potato and onion.
• Unroll phyllo pastry and transfer 2 sheets to a work surface; stack sheets. Spoon 1/8th of the ground beef mixture down one long edge of the phyllo pastry. Roll phyllo into a tube, encasing beef. Shape the tube into a coil (snail shape). Place the roll on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with melted butter. Repeat, placing finished rolls up against one another to keep them from unrolling.
• Bake burek in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

BOSNIAN PITA (PHYLLO PIE) WITH SPINACH FILLING

Steps:

• WASH HANDS (This recipe requires you to work with the food directly with your hands).
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Wash and drain spinach.
• Chop spinach and put in a big glass bowl.
• Add salt and mix with hands.
• Leave the spinach to sit for about 10 minutes to allow the salt to draw out the water from the vegetable.
• The water in spinach will make the filling bitter so do not skip this step.
• Drain the spinach by either sqeezing it bit by bit with your hand over the sink or by spinning several times in a salad spinner.
• Transfer drained spinach into a new bowl.
• Add egg, and sour cream.
• Fold in feta and cheddar cheese.
• Put some olive oil in a small bowl.
• Grease a 9"*13" glass or metal baking pan.
• Take your phyllo dough sheets and lie the sheets, stacked, on a dry surface.
• TIP: (While adding the filling, you may wish to cover the dough with a dry towel and then a damp one to keep it from drying out or flaking) Place one sheet of dough into the pan and cut away excess.
• Brush with oil, using either your hands or a pastry brush.
• Repeat until dough is 6 or 7 layers.
• Add a skim of filling with hands and spread evenly.
• Repeat steps 16-18 until the pie reaches the top of the pan or you run out of ingredients.
• Just make sure you finish with the dough on top, sort of like lasagna.
• Place pie in the oven, uncovered, about 45 minutes.
• The top becomes flaky.
• Pour on top of the pie while it is baking, 1/4 cup sour cream blended with 0.125 cup of milk.
• Bake for 15 more minutes.
• This dish can be served warm or room temperature.
• It is traditionally served with a yogurt beverage which is easily replicated by mixing the plain yogurt with milk, in equal parts.

DELICIOUS CROATIAN APPLE PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl combine the flour, butter, egg yolk, a splash of milk and sugar. Knead all ingredients to a firm dough. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the topping dough: beat egg yolks with sugar until light and foamy. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg white mixture and flour alternately into the yolk mixture.
• Roll short-crust dough on a lightly floured counter to a rectangle the size of the parchment paper lined baking pan. Cover the bottom of the pan with the dough, tap with fingers into place.
• Evenly cover the dough with grated apples, sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon zest, ground cinnamon and rum.
• Top the apples with the light topping dough and bake the pie in the oven at 200°C for about 45 minutes.
• Cool the pie in the baking pan, cut into equal sized square pieces and dust with powdered sugar (optional).