Albanian Phyllo Meat Pie (Byrek me Mish)

Make the dough by combining 4 cups of all-purpose flour, a little bit of salt, and lukewarm water.

Set the dough aside to soften and become elastic.

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent.

Add ground beef to the onions and cook until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally to prevent the onions from burning.

Season the beef with bay leaf, salt, pepper, and paprika.

Add fresh tomatoes (or tomato sauce) to the beef mixture and cook until combined.

Set the filling aside to cool down to prevent sogginess in the pie.

Once the dough is soft and elastic, separate it into about 13-14 small dough balls.

Set the dough balls aside, preparing to roll each one separately.

Use a rolling pin to stretch each dough ball into a thin phyllo layer on a clean surface dusted with cornstarch or flour.

Stretch the phyllo layer from the middle to the sides in a circular motion until it reaches the desired size, making it as thin as possible.

Layer the stretched phyllo layers on top of each other, drizzling olive oil between each layer to prevent sticking.

Once about half of the layers are placed in the baking tray, spread the filling evenly on top.

Add the remaining phyllo layers on top of the filling, tucking in the sides.

Drizzle more olive oil on top of the pie.

Bake the pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

After baking, let the pie rest for about 30 minutes before cutting to allow the heat to distribute through the filling.

Optionally, drizzle water on top before resting if you prefer a less crispy pie.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens