Up until a few days ago, I was eating Albanian byrek a few times a week. Today I tried Macedonian burek for the first time. It’s very similar to Albanian byrek, but there’s a lot more pastry going on.
Byrek and burek are both variations of börek.
Börek is a type of pie that’s popular in many Balkan countries. It’s made with filo pastry and can have a variety of different fillings inside. In Albania I usually went for the spinach option. So far in Macedonia I’ve only tried the burek with meat inside.
Albanian byrek is thin. You have to eat it with one hand and support it with the other to stop it flopping down towards the floor. It’s very filling though.
Macedonian byrek is a lot thicker and more pie-like. There is no need to support it while eating. One hand is enough.
As for the filling, the amount resting between the layers of pastry is probably about the same in both types of börek. The only real difference is all the extra pastry in the Macedonian version of the pie.
Personally, I prefer Albanian byrek. I don’t like to have too much pastry in my pies. It’s just a matter of taste though. Pastry lovers will probably prefer Burek to Byrek any day of the week.
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