Deta makes burek (film clip)

Deta demonstrates how to make burek. If you are not willing to do it yourself, then do go to her cafe because they were outstanding.

Deta's Cafe
7555 N. Ridge
Chicago, IL

Excellent clip, C2 -- really a fine use of video to illustrate a process that would be rather difficult to explain.

This does not look like any borek I've had, but my experience is pretty much limited to the Tunisian variety, which is not sausage-like, more like a calzone in a pastry shell. This is a very interesting food item that turns up from Eastern Europe to Africa.

Hammond

David,

Thanks for the compliment.

Even though I was watching this process before my very eyes, I could not explain how the dough round became a coil. I had to watch the video clip to understand how it happened. Step by step pictures would not have captured the technique as well.

This film clip taken with my digital camera was initially two film clips, because Deta allowed the dough a 2 minute rest before filling with cheese. I used Windows Movie Maker, which came with my operating system, to merge the film clips together.

I think you would find it worthwhile to try this variant of burek sometime.

Regards,

Think she's done that a few times before? As the clip clearly shows, Deta is truly an artist. What the clip can not show is how good her food really is. All the Burek are excellent,but the meat ,cheese and potato varieties are fantastic (Deta herself must agree as she tells me she has a potato Burek for dinner almost every night).
She's also an absolute virtuoso with cabbage.... Really. No one gets more out of this humble vegetable than Deta. She prepares it in a variety of ways... often with beef or pork, all of which have been outstanding. Everything she serves comes out of the tiny open kitchen in the back of her shop, and is the direct product of her labor. Everything I've tried has been at least very good and sometimes really memorable. She's also one of the sweetest people you're likely to meet. I guess I'm a fan. Try this place if you haven't yet.

I love her kitchen, which we could see while we were eating; it looks like a home kitchen.

Thanks for getting that, Cathy; I was watching her out of the corner of my eye, and every time, the conversion from round to coil happened magically without me being able to see it. Too bad you can't taste the cheese through the Internet; it was really good; sort of a cross between cream cheese and feta.

Wow. That's just beautiful. The dough is so thin and elastic, yet manages to stay together without tearing. I am always amazed by people who can work dough like this--once I had a chance to watch a Hungarian woman make rétes (struedel) and the process was magical and mesmerizing--you could literally read a newspaper through the dough it was stretched so thin. I can't wait to go out there and try Deta's burek--the last burek I ate was probably 10 years ago in Croatia.

HI,

I once saw a film where they showed a woman making strudel. She not only stretched the dough to cover the table top, it cascaded over the sides like a tablecloth. While I have watched a lot of cooking shows over the years, this was one occasion where the demonstration intimidated me out of trying to do it.

Regards,

Cathy,

Thanks for the clip. It made me hungry so today I did carry-out from Deta's. I phoned ahead to order two meat bureks. While driving there I decided to get a potato also.

When I arrived I found it would be a few minutes until the potato would be ready. Deta is a sweetheart. While I waited she brought out a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Just like Grandma made with a rich tasty broth. No charge.

From my seat I could see Deta working on another burek. I'm starting to understand the process. Not something I'd do, but it's interesting to see how it's done.

I brought the bureks back to work where wife #1 and I enjoyed them very much. Really good flaky crust; both the potato and the meat fillings are well-flavored.

I had seriously underestimated the amount of food involved and we now have enough left over for dinner one night this week. The price of a burek is $6.00 tax included. It's a fine value and I hope Deta has lots of success.

By the way, does anyone know her hours?

Thanks again, Cathy.

don't forget the bread either - this simple round loaves are my favorite thing she makes

They also have a nice burek at Beograd on Irving near California. Speaking of Croatian food...does anyone know where I find find an authentic Slovonian "kulen"--a peperoni-like sausage with paprika?

City Fresh Market on Devon Thanks, d4v3