Burek sa Sirom Recipe (Balkan Cheese Pie)

Golden filo pies made for passing around

Prepare the filling, protect the filo, and settle into the layers

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This Burek sa Sirom Recipe turns a cheese-and-herb filling and a full stack of filo into six round pies. Each pie follows the same dependable pattern, so the work becomes easier once the filling, covered pastry, and butter-oil mixture are arranged within reach.

The most important habit is simply keeping the unused sheets covered while you work. Build one round at a time, brush each layer without rushing, and tuck the edges into the pan before the final generous brushing. After 20 to 30 minutes in a 375°F oven, a golden-brown surface tells you the pies are ready.

Mix the cheese and herbs first

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Set out your measuring cups and spoons, then place a large mixing bowl on a stable counter. Add one pound of crumbled feta cheese and eight ounces of softened cream cheese. Work them together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping the bottom and sides as you go.

Stir in two room-temperature, beaten large eggs, four tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley, and two tablespoons of chopped fresh dill. Keep folding until the herbs are spread through the filling rather than gathered in one spot. Set the bowl near the pans; you will divide the mixture evenly among all six.

Cut the filo and keep it covered

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Separate the pound of filo dough into two piles of 24 sheets. Use kitchen shears to cut the sheets in half, leaving two piles of 48 leaves. Keep the edges aligned as you cut so the pieces are easy to lift in pairs during assembly.

Lay parchment paper over the stacks, followed by plastic wrap or a clean damp kitchen towel. Uncover only the leaves you are about to place, then cover the rest again. Filo dries quickly at the edges, and this one repeated motion keeps the pastry flexible while you build all six rounds.

Prepare the brushing mixture and pans

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Heat the oven to 375°F. In a small mixing bowl, combine four ounces of melted unsalted butter with one-half cup of olive oil. Stir the two together before you start layering, and keep the bowl close enough to reach without carrying it over the uncovered pastry.

Dip a pastry brush into the mixture and coat six 8-inch round pans. Arrange the pans, filling, covered filo, and brushing bowl in a comfortable line. A little counter organization now makes the repeated layers feel calm instead of hurried.

Repeat the same layers in every pie

Lay two sheets in the first pan and brush them with the butter-oil mixture. Add two more sheets and brush again, then spread one-sixth of the cheese filling evenly over the pastry and all the way to the edges. Place two sheets on top, brush, add two more, and brush once again. Tuck the edges down along the sides of the pan to make a rounded border, then give the surface a generous final coating.

Build the other five pies in the same order. Each one uses four sheets below the filling and four above it, for eight sheets in all. If you lose your place, pause after a pair and count the visible layers rather than rushing forward. The covered stacks can wait while you check your work.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, watching for an even golden-brown top. Serve the finished pies warm or at room temperature. They can also be assembled and frozen unbaked; bake directly from the freezer and add at least 15 minutes, using the same golden color as the signal that they are ready.

Turn six pies into an easy shared meal

Six separate rounds give you plenty of ways to welcome family or friends to the table. Bring out a warm pie first and let the others rest until everyone is seated, or serve them at room temperature when the gathering has a more relaxed pace. Cut each round into wedges and place them where people can reach, then pass the first plate while the next pie waits nearby.

The assembly can be shared, too. One person can keep the pastry covered and hand over pairs of sheets while another brushes and portions the filling. That steady teamwork leaves room for conversation without making the delicate layers feel rushed. When the pies are golden, clear the pans from the work area, gather around, and enjoy the crisp pastry and creamy herb filling together. A frozen unbaked pie can hold that same kind of meal for another day, ready whenever there is a table to fill.

Tell us whether you served the pies warm or at room temperature, or leave a question about keeping the filo covered and the layers even. Leave a comment.