Burek (aka: börek, bourekas, boreg, byrek) is widely recognized as a Balkan or Turkish delicacy and stands as one of the most popular pastries in these regions. Its origins trace back to the Anatolian region of Turkey. Due to the vast expanse of the Ottoman Empire, burek spread to the Balkans, North Africa, and other territories. The exact etymology of the word “burek” remains uncertain. There are some interpretations saying that it comes from the word “böğür”, meaning “kidney”, but this is just one interpretation.
Every country, city or even home has a different recipe for burek, but the basic recipe remains consistent. Burek is made with thin, flaky dough such as “filo” and filled with a variety of ingredients such as minced meat, spinach, cheese or potatoes. Burek can be either fried on a pan or baked in the oven. Making burek is simple, it involves layering dough with the filling, similar to assembling a multilayered cake. This unique speciality can be served hot or cold and accompanied by drinks like yoghurt, ayran or boza.
In Macedonia, many bakeries serve burek as a breakfast meal and the best time to buy it is early in the morning, as some of the bakeries operate until they sell out, often by around noon. After that, most probably you will not find your perfect burek. What surprised me here, and it is different than in Poland, is that some of the bakeries are open 24/7 and people prioritize buying various pastries over breadstuff.
A variation of Macedonian burek is called “баничка” (banichka). Unlike traditional burek, it is rolled with the filling like a roulade, giving it a distinct final shape. What makes banichka special to me is that, during Christmas, New Year’s, or the holiday of Vasilica, a coin is sometimes hidden inside the pastry. The person who finds the coin in their piece is believed to have good luck for the coming year.
So far I have tried a lot of burek and banichki from various bakeries, and I can honestly say that it changed my perspective on breakfast. Now, for a reasonable price, I can enjoy a delicious meal, or whenever I’m too lazy to cook, I can treat myself to local specialties. Another great thing is that yoghurt or ayran are available at every bakery. Pairing the pastries with these drinks makes the experience even better, as they help balance the richness of the pastry and aid in digestion.
This Christmas, I traveled to Poland and brought banichka with me for the journey. I didn’t eat it all, so I saved some to take to my parents’ home. Even after sitting in my backpack for 24 hours, we were still able to enjoy the Macedonian specialty for breakfast. My parents, at first, weren’t that excited to try it because banichka didn’t look good after such a long time, but once they tried it, they were amazed. Together, we agreed that we don’t have anything like this in our country.
Is there such a thing as the perfect breakfast? Yes, and for me, it’s burek. It’s a simple meal, yet it provides enough energy to fuel you for the entire day. After a few months, I got my favourite ones. I enjoy banichka with sirenje, chicken and kashkaval or pizza burek. This pastry is unique because there are always new variations to try and discover different tastes of the Balkans.
Jakub Pokuciński
Sources:
VOICES 
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