The recipe of Black Sea Tatli Burek is reasonably simple if instead of homemade filo dough use commercial frozen filo dough which is available in retail stores in roll or box. The final taste of this dessert is very delicious if ingredients are selected well and the dish baked in the proper way. The best taste of this dish comes if you use hand made filo dough which can be homemade or ordered from a neighbouring bakery if they have filo makers with needed skills.

Recipe with commercial filo dough

Course – Dessert

Serves 1 tray  (8-16 pcs)

Preparation time – 30 minutes Cooking time – 30 minutes Inactive time – 4-5 hours

1 pack or box or roll with frozen filo dough (16 sheets)

100g unsalted clarified butter to brush the sheets

Syrup

1,5 cup granulated white sugar

1,5 cup water

1 fresh lemon for juice

Custard

1 l of whole milk

2 cups of granulated white sugar

150 gr ground rice or wheat flour

1 tbsp of butter

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

Preparation stage of Black Sea Tatli Burek is simple if instead of homemade filo dough use commercial frozen filo dough in a roll or box. This frozen filo dough requires slow thawing in the refrigerator overnight and then keeping covered by damp cloth to avoid drying out until preparation of the dish. Cut filo dough layers in half for the size of a tray.

Make syrup. Put sugar and pour water in a pot and start to heat. Stir well as sugar should be dissolved before the water starts to boil.  Boil syrup over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until it starts thick. Add the juice of one lemon and boil until it takes a thicker consistency, then cool it slowly.

Make custard. Mix together 1l milk, 150 g wheat flour (or rice flour) and 2 cups of sugar and boil over medium heat stirring continuously until it thickens to a custard consistency. Take it off the heat, and add 3 eggs yolk one by one, stirring continuously. When mixture becomes  homogeneous add a spoon of butter and stir. Put custard aside.

Take a baking tray and brush it with some of the melted butter. Put 16 layers of filo dough one by one in the dish, brushing each with butter before adding the next one. Keep the remaining filo dough layers covered by damp cloth to avoid drying out.

Take the custard and pour on the top of the 16th sheet, and place the next 16 sheets on top by brushing every layer with butter. Brush the top of the last layer with butter. Cut the overhanging edges with the knife.

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top gets the brown color. Take the dish out of the oven and pour cold syrup over Burek. It is important to note that to absorb syrup better pastry needs to be warm but not very hot and the syrup needs to be cold.

Black Sea Tatli Burek needs to soak syrup uncovered for at least 4-5 hours until ready. It can be garnished with sliced walnuts or almonds. If needed to balance the sweetness add a scoop of sour cream on top.

Black Sea Tatli Burek is always cooked in advance. Traditionally it is served at ambient temperature with a glass of sweet wine or lemonade or Black Sea Tea. Often this dish can be purchased in boxes or tins at retail stores.

You can enjoy Black Sea Tatli Burek with friends and family in #BlackSeaCuisine restaurants or at home as it is easy to buy in retail stores or not very difficult to prepare yourself.

Black Sea Cuisine is simple, tasty and inexpensive.