Yogurt (Kos)

Yogurt (Kos)

Yogurt is a major staple in our household. We eat it with everything! We can eat is savory, sweet or just plain the way it is. So, with the amount of yogurt we go through its important that we make it at home.

Google ‘how to make yogurt’ and you are bound to get seriously complicated recipes involving thermometers and who knows what else. Here I will show you an amazingly simple way to make yogurt at home.

For this method it is important that you have a little yogurt to start with. All you really need is a spoon full to get the culture going. You can either buy your favorite plain yogurt at the store or borrow a little from a neighbor.

What you will need:

-                 Large pot

-                 Milk

-                 Large towel

-                 Small amount of yogurt

Directions:

In a large pot, bring the milk to a boil. I will leave the quantity up to you. We normally make about half a gallon at a time but I would recommend starting with a little less milk.

Once the milk is boiling heat off and let the milk cool. The milk needs to be slightly warmer than room temperature before moving to the next step.

*Note: 

Do not let the milk get too hot or too cold. This will prevent the yogurt culture from developing.*

Mix in the spoon full of yogurt and remove the pot from the stove. Now, wrap the pot in a large towel. This will allow the milk to stay warm and the yogurt to develop.

Leave this untouched overnight. The next day you can check on it and you will be surprised to find a large pot of delicious yogurt. It’s that simple!

ENJOY!

Balkan Feta-Cream Cheese Pie (Burek sa Sirom)

Balkan Feta-Cream Cheese Pie (Burek sa Sirom)

Burek sa sirom is a Balkan savory pie made with flaky filo (also spelled "phyllo") dough and, in this case, a combination of feta and cream cheeses.

It is popular among Bulgarians, Bosnians, Serbians, Croats, Turks and, of course, there are the famous triangle-shaped Greek spanakopitas.

There are myriad versions of burek some with cheese filling and some with meat filling. They can be round (as this one is) or coiled into horseshoe shapes or cigar shapes as well as those baked in a 13x9-inch pan.

A slice of burek goes great with a glass of cold kefir especially, some say, if you have a hangover.

• Total: 60 mins
• Prep: 30 mins
• Cook: 30 mins
• Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound feta cheese (crumbled)
• 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature, beaten)
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped)
• 1 (1-pound) package filo dough (thawed)
• 1/2 cup/1 stick butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup olive oil (good quality)

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. In a large bowl, mix together feta cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add eggs, parsley, and dill, mixing well. Set aside.
3. Separate filo dough into two piles of 24 sheets. Cut filo dough sheets in half. You should have two piles of 48 leaves. Cover with parchment paper followed by a damp towel or plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
4. Heat oven to 375 F. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and ​olive oil. Using a pastry brush, butter 6 (8-inch) round shallow pans.​
5. Lay down 2 sheets of filo dough and brush with butter-oil mixture. Repeat with 2 more sheets of filo dough and butter-oil mixture. Spread 1/6 of the cheese mixture evenly on top and to the edges.
6. Lay down 2 sheets of filo dough on top of the cheese mixture and brush with butter-oil mixture. Repeat with 2 more sheets. Tuck edges of filo down sides of pan to create a rounded edge. Brush generously with butter-oil mixture.
7. Repeat for 5 remaining pies. Each pie will use 4 sheets on the bottom and 4 sheets on the top for a total of 8 sheets each.
8. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Bureks can be assembled and frozen unbaked. When ready to serve, bake directly from the freezer, increasing baking time by at least 15 minutes.

Turn Burek Into an Appetizer

One burek easily can be cut into six pie-shaped wedges to be served as an appetizer on a mezze, or appetizer, spread with kajmak cheese, pogacha bread or a flatbread known as lepinje, and cevapcici sausages.

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
915	Calories
71g	Fat
46g	Carbs
24g	Protein

See Full Nutritional Guidelines

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Serbian Meat Burek (Sa Mesom) Recipe with Beef, Pork and Lamb

Serbian Meat Burek (Sa Mesom) Recipe with Beef, Pork and Lamb

This Serbian recipe for meat burek or burek sa mesom is made with ground beef, pork, and lamb. Bureks or savory pies exist throughout the Balkans, Greece, Turkey and the Middle East.

They can be formed into horseshoe shapes, coils, cylinders or round pies, or baked in rectangular pans and cut into squares. They can be eaten as appetizers or the main course when they are usually served with kefir to drink.
Compare this recipe with this meat burek recipe that is made with ground beef only or this cheese burek recipe made with Monterey Jack and cottage cheese. Follow these easy steps that illustrate how to make burek.

• Total: 90 mins
• Prep: 45 mins
• Cook: 45 mins
• Yield: 12 servings meat burek

Ingredients

For the Meat Filling:

• 1/2 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork (eliminate the pork and use more beef and lamb, if desired)
• 1/2 pound lean ground lamb
• 1 large finely chopped onion
• 1 finely chopped garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Pepper to taste

For the Filo:

• 1 (1-pound) package thawed filo dough
• Vegetable, sunflower or pumpkin oil

For the Topping:

• 4 large room-temperature beaten eggs
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups soda water

Steps to Make It

Make the Filling

1. In a large skillet, cook the meats, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Drain in a colander, discarding the fat.
2. Return to skillet and mix with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature.

Assemble and Bake

1. Separate filo dough into 3 piles (about 9 sheets each) and keep covered. Read these tips on Working with Filo Dough.
2. Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Lay down 3 sheets of filo dough and lightly brush with oil. Repeat two more times until you've used one (9-sheet) pile of filo.
3. Spread on half the cooled meat mixture. Then lay down 3 sheets of filo dough from the second pile and lightly brush with oil. Repeat two more times until you've used the second (9-sheet) pile of filo.
4. Spread with remaining meat mixture. Then, using the last pile of filo dough, lay down 3 sheets at a time, brushing lightly with oil, until the pile is finished.
5. Tuck any straggly ends down the sides of the pan and, using a sawing motion and a serrated knife, cut the burek to the bottom into 12 slices.

Make the Topping and Bake

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs and oil. Add soda water and mix slightly. Pour over the burek and let sit 2 minutes.
2. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes or so before serving.

Serbian Cheese Pie (Burek Sa Sirom)

Serbian Cheese Pie (Burek Sa Sirom)

This recipe for cheese burek (burek sa sirom), a Balkan savory filo pie that can be filled with cheese, meat or vegetables, is made with Jack and cottage cheeses in a 13x9-inch pan like baklava. 

There are myriad versions among Serbs, Bulgarians, Bosnians, Macedonians, Greeks, and Turks. The Jack and cottage cheeses in this recipe definitely make it an Americanized version, but delicious nonetheless!

• Total: 50 mins
• Prep: 20 mins
• Cook: 30 mins
• Yield: 24 slices (24 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 pound grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces cottage cheese (undrained, not farmer's cheese)
• 1 large egg (beaten)
• 1 pound filo dough (thawed)
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Place oven rack in the middle position and heat to 350 F. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, toss grated Jack cheese with flour. Add undrained cottage cheese and beaten egg and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
4. Separate filo dough into two piles (about 14 sheets each) and keep covered. Half will go on the bottom of the pan and half will go on top of the filling.
5. Place 2 sheets of filo dough in prepared pan and brush lightly with melted butter. Add 2 more sheets of filo dough and brush with butter. Continue in this fashion until you've used one pile of filo sheets.
6. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the filo and to the ends. Begin covering the cheese with the remaining filo, again using 2 sheets at a time and brushing with butter.
7. Tuck any overhanging filo dough down the sides of the pan and brush entire top with butter. Cut burek into 24 squares and generously brush the entire top with remaining butter.
8. Bake in the heated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. If the top starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil and continue to bake. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes.
9. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

• This makes a great luncheon, entrée, brunch or appetizer course that can be served warm or at room temperature.
• A slice of burek goes great with a glass of cold milk. 
• Burek freezes well cooked or uncooked.

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
218	Calories
15g	Fat
13g	Carbs
9g	Protein

See Full Nutritional Guidelines

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)