Burek In Novalja

Day ten of our epic campervan trip around Croatia saw us in Novalja on the island of Pag. It was one of the very rare rainy days of the whole seven weeks and so we were in need of a little comfort food. And what better comfort food than the humble Burek, available in any Dalmatian bakery worth its name?

In fact Burek’s origins are Turkish but the Dalmatians have always been good at keeping the best of the various cultures that have fought over Croatia.

Cheese (“sir”) and meat (“mesa”) are the most common varieties – small specks of either cheese or mince scattered through filo pastry and best served and eaten hot. It’s probably not that great for your waistline and I guess the popularity of hot burek wains a little in the scorching Croatian summer but it’s a really satisfying snack if it’s raining. or the cold north east Bora wind is blowing.