Inja-Burek

Ingredients

• 680 g (approximately 1½ lb) plain flour (Plus extra for dusting; a pound and a half equals roughly 680 g)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs (At room temperature)
• 1 quantity as needed water (Add gradually — enough to make a soft, flexible, pliable dough; start with about 120 ml and add more as required)
• 1 quantity as needed for dough fresh butter, melted (For working into the dough with your hands; have a small bowl ready with melted butter)
• 1 small quantity for dusting wheat starch (Used to dust the dough pieces before rolling — prevents sticking and helps roll very thin. Cornflour is a modern approximation but the recipe specifies wheat starch.)
• 1 quantity as needed for layering fresh butter, melted (For buttering the tin and sprinkling between every five layers of pastry)
• 1 small quantity for topping fresh butter, melted and hot (Poured over the top of the assembled pastry just before baking)
• 1 quantity as needed for filling minced mutton (Used as the primary filling; the recipe does not specify an exact quantity — use enough to cover the pastry layers generously)
• 1 quantity as needed for filling mushrooms (Chopped very fine; mixed with the mutton for the filling)
• 1 quantity as needed for filling onions (Chopped very fine; mixed with the mutton for the filling)
• 1 quantity as needed for filling fresh butter (Used to stew the mutton, mushrooms, and onions until browned)

Instructions

1. 1Place 680 g of plain flour on a clean, large work surface or slab. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to make a deep well (hole) in the centre — like a volcano shape. This well will hold your wet ingredients.
2. 2Crack all 4 eggs into the well in the centre of the flour. Add 1 teaspoon of salt directly into the well with the eggs. Using a fork or your fingers, beat the eggs lightly in the well, then gradually begin incorporating the surrounding flour into the egg mixture, working from the inside out.
3. 3Once the eggs and flour are roughly combined, begin adding water a little at a time — start with about 4 tablespoons (60 ml) and continue adding small amounts as needed. Work the mixture together with your hands until it forms a soft, smooth, and flexible dough that is pliable but not sticky. The dough should feel slightly softer than normal bread dough. Do not add too much water at once.
4. 4Melt a small amount of fresh butter in a bowl. Dip both of your hands into the melted butter and continue to knead and work the dough for a further few minutes. The butter will be absorbed into the dough, making it smoother and more supple. Repeat dipping your hands in the butter as needed until the dough feels silky and elastic.
5. 5Divide the dough into exactly 30 equal pieces, each roughly the size of a walnut (approximately 2–3 cm diameter). Roll each piece gently between your palms into a smooth ball. Place them on a lightly dusted surface and cover with a clean cloth to prevent drying out while you work.
6. 6Sprinkle a little wheat starch both underneath and on top of each dough ball before rolling. This will prevent the dough from sticking and will help you roll each piece out to an extremely thin, even sheet. Keep a small bowl of wheat starch nearby to dust as needed.
7. 7Working one piece at a time (keep the rest covered), use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball out into a very thin, even sheet — as thin as a wafer or thinner if you can manage it. The sheet should be the same size as your baking tin. This requires patience; keep dusting with wheat starch to prevent tearing or sticking. A thin, even sheet is key to the final texture. Stack the rolled sheets carefully with a dusting of wheat starch between each one to prevent sticking.
8. 8While the dough sheets rest, prepare your filling. Chop the mushrooms and onions very finely. In a pan over medium heat, melt a knob of fresh butter. Add the minced mutton, chopped mushrooms, and chopped onions. Stew everything together, stirring regularly, until the mixture has browned to a nice colour. The onions should be soft and the mutton fully cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
9. 9Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) — a moderate heat. Generously butter the inside of your baking tin with melted fresh butter, coating the base and sides thoroughly to prevent sticking.
10. 10Lay the first dough sheet into the buttered baking tin, pressing it gently to fit. Lay four more sheets on top of the first, one at a time, to make a stack of 5 sheets total. After placing all 5 sheets, drizzle or brush a little melted fresh butter evenly over the top of the fifth sheet.
11. 11Place the next 5 rolled dough sheets one by one on top of the buttered layer. Once all 5 are in place, drizzle or brush a little melted fresh butter evenly over the top again.
12. 12Place the next 5 rolled dough sheets one by one on top of the previous buttered layer (you now have 15 sheets in the tin in three groups of five). Drizzle or brush a little melted fresh butter evenly over the top of this third layer.
13. 13Spread the cooked filling — the minced mutton stewed with mushrooms and onions — evenly over the top of the third buttered layer of dough sheets. Cover the entire surface generously and evenly, right to the edges of the tin.
14. 14Cover the filling with the remaining 15 dough sheets, repeating the same layering method as before: lay 5 sheets one at a time, then butter; lay 5 more, then butter; lay the final 5 sheets on top. You should now have 30 sheets total in the tin: 15 below the filling and 15 above.
15. 15Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled pastry into four portions by making two cuts crossways through all the layers. This scoring helps the butter and heat penetrate the layers during baking, and makes it easier to serve once baked.
16. 16Melt a little fresh butter and heat it until it is hot (but not browned). Pour this hot melted butter evenly over the top of the assembled, scored pastry. This final coating of butter helps the top layers bake to a beautiful golden colour.
17. 17Place the baking tin in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) — a moderate heat. Bake for approximately 35–45 minutes, or until the pastry is a nice, even golden brown on top. Keep an eye on it from around 30 minutes; ovens vary. The pastry should be crisp and richly coloured, not pale.
18. 18Once baked to a nice golden brown, remove the tin from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the tin, then carefully lift each portion out using a spatula, following the cuts you made earlier. Transfer to a serving dish or plates and serve hot.