How to make Albanian Byrek with Ricotta and Spinach

Instructions

1. Make the dough

   • First, take a huge bowl and put the flour, olive oil and salt.
   • After mixing the three ingredients above, start adding the water.
   • Depending on the flour, sometimes it might need more than 300 ml, and sometimes it might need less than 300 ml.
   • It depends on how thirsty it is.

   • You need
   • 500 g all-purpose flour
   • 2 tbsp olive oil
   • 2 tsp salt
   • 300 ml water

2. Let it rest

   • After adding the water, you will get a soft, not sticky dough.
   • It should not be hard, but it also should not be sticky.
   • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave it aside as we are going to use it for the pie later.

   In my video I knead the dough for about five minutes with my wrist, not my palm, and let it rest for about 30 minutes while I make the filling.

   Start a 30 min timer

   Not hard, not sticky.

3. Make the filling

   • Next, to prepare the filling, put some olive oil in a pan.
   • As the pan heats up, chop the spinach in a Julienne style.
   • When the oil starts smoking (not cigarettes), put the spinach and cover the pan.
   • After 10 minutes, the spinach will get watery.
   • When you notice that the spinach is smaller in size and watery, add the ricotta cheese.
   • It would give better results if you try to strain the water from ricotta first.
   • Mix in 1 tsp salt, and the filling is ready.

   • You need
   • olive oil
   • 400 g fresh spinach
   • 250 g ricotta
   • 1 tsp salt

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   Start a 10 min timer

   Strain the ricotta first.

4. Roll out the sheets

   • Next, put the butter in a small bowl as we are going to use it for each of the sheets of dough.
   • Following that, cut the dough in 12 pieces.
   • Start opening the dough in the form of the baking pan that you are going to use.
   • Try to add flour so that the dough does not stick to the roller.
   • The sheet should be as thin as paper.

   • You need
   • 100 g butter
   • flour

   As thin as paper.

5. Layer the byrek

   • Add the first sheet in the baking pan and spray it with melted butter.
   • Don’t put too much butter if you want to keep the calories low.
   • After the sixth sheet, apply the filling.
   • Finish the pie with the next 6 sheets of dough.
   • Do not forget to spray the sheets with butter.

   Turn the oven on now, so it’s at 345°F (175°C) by the time the byrek goes in.

   Six sheets, the filling, six more sheets.

6. Egg wash and bake

   • When the pie is ready for baking, you can use 1 egg to give the pie a better color and taste.
   • Beat the egg and brush a thin layer of it over the top with a pastry brush.
   • Preheat the oven and bake the pie at 345°F (175°C) for 40 minutes.
   • Make sure to watch it every 10 minutes, otherwise it might get burnt and you don’t want all the work to go to trash.

   • You need
   • 1 egg

   Start a 40 min timer