Burekitas Stuffed with Roasted Eggplant and Bulgarian Cheese

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Wrapping Dough

1. 1
   In a bowl, mix the flour and salt.

   Bowl
2. 2
   Add the oil and the water and Knead about 5 minutes, until you get a smooth, soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands.

   ⚙ KneadingBowlStand mixer

   💡If the dough sticks, add a tablespoon of flour; if it crumbles, a tablespoon of water. Good dough is as soft as an earlobe.
3. 3
   Cover and let the dough rest 30 minutes at room temperature.

   💡Oil-and-water dough needs no rising: the rest relaxes the gluten, so the dough rolls out thin without shrinking back.

For the Pastry Filling

1. 4
   Char the eggplants whole directly over the gas flame, turning, until the skin is black and blistered on all sides and the flesh is completely soft (eggplants: 20–30 minutes, about 10 minutes per side).

   Stove

   💡Charring directly over the flame gives the vegetables their smoky flavor; in the oven they soften, but the flavor is milder.
2. 5
   Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly and leave 10–15 minutes.

   Bowl

   💡The steam in the covered container separates the skin from the flesh, so it comes off easily. Don't rinse under water: the smoky flavor washes away with it.
3. 6
   Peel off the charred skin and drain off the liquid (leave the eggplant in a colander 15–30 minutes).

   Colander

   💡Drain the roasted eggplant 15–30 minutes: its bitter juices dilute the salad.
4. 7
   Chop the eggplant flesh with a knife.

   KnifeCutting board

   💡Chop with a knife, not a blender: that way fibers and chunks remain, and the texture doesn't turn to mush.
5. 8
   Set the chopped eggplant in a colander for half an hour to drain the liquid.

   Colander

   💡A wet filling soaks the dough from the inside and the pastries burst open. Drain the eggplant thoroughly before adding the cheese.
6. 9
   Mix the eggplant with the oil, then with the cheese.

To assemble

1. 10
   Roll out the dough thin, to 2–3 mm, and cut into into rounds of about 10 cm.

   ⚙ Rolling Out DoughRolling pinKnife

   💡Roll from the center outward and give the dough a quarter turn between rolls: this keeps it even in thickness and stops it sticking to the counter. If it springs back, cover for 10–15 minutes and try again.
2. 11
   Place a spoonful of cooled filling in the center of each piece, fold into half-moons and seal the edges well with a fork.

   💡Seal well and press with a fork all along the edges, and don't overfill: a pastry that opens in the oven loses its filling, and in the fryer it fills with oil.
3. 12
   Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little grated cheese.

   Baking panParchment paper

   💡Brush with an egg beaten with a teaspoon of water: the glaze turns shiny and golden.
4. 13
   Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (390°F) 20–25 minutes, until the pastries are puffed and golden underneath too.

   ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.