Silverbeet & Feta Burek

Our silverbeet burek is the ultimate comfort food with a Kiwi twist. Straight out of the Balkans, burek is a flaky pastry spiral traditionally found everywhere from Bosnia to Turkey: it’s the kind of dish you grab hot from a bakery, tucked into a paper bag, and devour on the spot. Our silverbeet version keeps that same golden, buttery crunch but sneaks in some Kiwi-grown greens for good measure. 

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Ingredients

• 1 bunch silverbeet, stems and leaves separated
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 100g feta, crumbled
• 2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 6–8 sheets filo pastry, defrosted
• 50–60g butter, melted

Method

1. Prep the silverbeet: Chop the white stems and green leaves separately.
2. Cook the filling: Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Fry the chopped onion and white silverbeet stems together until soft (about 4–5 minutes). Add the green leaves and cook briefly until just wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Mix the filling: In a bowl, combine the cooked silverbeet and onion mix with grated cheddar, crumbled feta, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
4. Prepare the pastry: Lay out the defrosted filo sheets. Join sheets end-to-end to create one long strip. Brush generously with melted butter, then layer 3 more sheets on top, brushing each with butter.
5. Assemble the burek: Spoon a long line of filling down the centre of the pastry. Roll the pastry over the filling into a long log, then coil the log into a spiral. Place the spiral in an ovenproof frying pan or baking dish.
6. Bake: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake the burek for 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy on top.
7. Serve: Let it cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy straight from the pan.