Homemade Phyllo dough Potato Burekas

Two Baking ring 15cm or 16cm in diameter, 6cm tall, placed on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Recipe: 2 medium sized individual burekas

Apple Filling:

Homemade Phyllo Dough:

Preparation instructions:

Potato Filling:

1. Into a medium sized pot, add the peeled potatoes, and fill it with water to cover about 2-3 cm above the height of the potatoes.
2. Cook on medium heat, with an open lid, for about 45 minutes, or until an inserted fork easily slides through the potato.
3. During cooking, mix together the milk and heavy cream, and microwave them in pulses to warm the mixture (about 60C).
4. Strain the potatoes from the water, and puree them using a potato masher.
5. Gradually add in the butter cubes, and incorporate using the potato masher.
6. After the butter is incorporated, add in all the spices, and in 3 parts, add in the milk mixture, whisking in between with a whisk, until the texture is smooth. Please taste test and correct the seasoning per your personal preference.
7. Allow the filling to cool down in the refrigerator a few hours (at least 4) to let it set, preferably overnight. The texture should be pasty, similar to a pipeable cream, and not fluid.
   After the filling is fully set, you may also whisk in an egg. It helps the burekas to puff slightly more during baking, but the filling will become more fluid. When developing this recipe, I tested making the filling with and without an egg, and personally I don’t think it is necessary, but you’re welcome to try.
8. Either way, transfer the filling into a piping bag, and refrigerate until use.

Homemade Phyllo Dough:

1. Into a standing mixer bowl, fitter with the paddle attachment, add all of the dough ingredients: flour, salt, oil (1) and water.
2. Mix on the lowest speed for 10 minutes. Please note that after 5 minutes of kneading, it is recommended to unify and knead the dough by hand for a while, on a non-floured, non-oiled, working counter, and only then return the dough back into the mixer for 5 more minutes of kneading. The dough must be very smooth when shaped into a ball, and should not stick to your hands at all.
3. Divide the dough into 2 parts, about 190g each. Shape them into balls, and place in small bowls with little bit of oil, in a way that will coat the dough with oil all around. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour (at minimum) or up to 24 hours at room temperature. Note that the dough must rest for long enough, so the gluten in the dough can relax and the dough can be easily stretched without pulling back.
4. Dust your counter with flour (do not overdo it), place the dough at the center and flour it as well.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a circle about 20cm in diameter.
6. The dough is then lifted with your hands- it should be placed so that the edge of the dough on the back of your hands, in a way that you can gently stretch it from one hand to the other, rotating it clockwise (see video demonstration).
7. The dough will slowly stretch, and gravity will help pull it down further.
8. At some point the dough will become too big to manage with your hands. Place it on the dusted counter, and start stretching it gently with your hands from the edges, where most of the dough is concentrated.
9. The final size of the dough should be 65cm (l) x 45cm (w). The center part should be see-through and gentle, and the total time it should take to stretch the dough to this size, is about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how skilled you are. You can totally do this on a kitchen island, and get some help from another person to help you stretch the dough from the opposite side. Other than the fun it is, it also shortens the stretching time.
   If holes develop in the dough during stretching, that’s totally fine. You should work very gently and try your best to prevent the holes from growing in size. The more you practice the better you’ll become, and be able to stretch a homemade phyllo dough to a large size, with minimum to zero holes.

If using storebought phyllo dough: As I mentioned in the post description, I don’t know what is the size of the storebought phyllo dough sheets, and I rarely ever use these. However, you may overlap the sheets to make a large rectangle sized 65cm (l) x 45cm (w), and proceed as per the instructions below.

Assembly and baking:

1. Preheat your oven to 175C (fan mode on), placing a baking rack at the lowest level inside the oven.
2. Brush the entire phyllo with melted butter, and cut the edges, where there is large concentration of dough, using a knife or a pizza cutter.
3. Pipe half the filling in one long strip, about 5cm from the bottom edge of the dough.
4. Close the dough on the filling, and start rolling it into a long log. It is possible and highly recommended to use a bench scraper to help life the dough in areas where it might’ve sticked to the counter. All holes and tears will not be noticeable as they will be hidden inside the rolled dough.
5. Cut the edges of the log using a bench scraper or a knife, and roll it into itself, to a snail shape.
6. Transfer the pastry to the prepared baking sheet, brush it with some melted butter and you may also sprinkle some sesame seeds on top, if you prefer.
7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 with the other dough. Place baking rings around the pastries- it promotes browning the sides, and also prevents them from over-spreading in the oven.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 75 minutes. The pastry should be fully baked and become nicely browned.
9. Take out the pastry and allow it to col down on a cooling rack for about 25 minutes before unmolding and serving.
10. The pastry is at its best the same day it is made.