Borek, Byrek, Maznik, Pita, Spanakopita
or zeljanica.
Whatever you want to call this pastry pie I think we can all agree it’s totally delicious and while you can make it with ready made phyllo I promise you it’s 100 times better with freshly made dough and worth the effort. You’ll be feeling like you’ve got this straight out of a Turkish or Balkan bakery. You can fill it with whatever you wish, I’ve done my favourite spinach & Feta filling.
See the video out for the full method.
Borek, Byrek, Maznik, Pita, Spanakopita (or Zeljanica)
Prep time
45 minutes
Resting time
1 hour
Cooking time
50 minutes
Ingredients
Dough:
- 350 g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 200 ml warm water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Filling:
- 200 g frozen spinach
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- Salt & pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 200–300 g feta cheese (I use 300 g)
- 1 egg
- 120 g cream cheese
- Olive oil
- 40 g butter, melted
Instructions
Mix salt into the flour, then add warm water and olive oil. Mix until combined, then knead on a floured surface until smooth (about 5 minutes). Shape into a log, cut into 6 pieces, roll each into a ball, coat with olive oil, cover and rest for at least 1 hour at room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: fry chopped onion and garlic until tender. Add spinach, oregano, salt, pepper and a splash of water; cook until water evaporates. Cool slightly, then stir in egg, feta and cream cheese.
Stretch each dough ball into a thin sheet (don’t worry about small holes) and trim any thick edges. Divide the filling into 6 portions, place about 1 inch from the edge of each sheet, roll up, then coil into a spiral. Brush generously with melted butter.
Preheat oven to 190 °C. Bake the spirals for 40–50 minutes until golden and crispy. Optionally brush with extra butter once they come out of the oven.
Enjoy D 🫶🏻
Borek, Byrek, Maznik, Pita, Spanakopita
or zeljanica.
Resting time:
1 hr
Prep time:
45 minutes
Cooking time:
50 min
Ingredients
Dough:
350g plain flour
1 x tsp salt
200ml warm water
2 x tbs olive oil
Filling:
200g frozen spinach
3 garlic cloves chopped
1 x onion chopped
Salt & pepper
1 x tsp dried oregano
200 or 300g feta cheese ( I use 300g)
1 x egg
120g cream cheese
Olive oil
40g butter melted
Instructions
Mix the salt into the flour and then add the warm water and oil, mix well till combined then knead on a floured surface till smooth (this should take about 5 min) shape into a log and cut into 6. Roll each into a ball, coat each ball well in the oil (I used olive) and cover and rest for minimum 1 hour at room temperature.
While it’s resting make your filling:
Fry onion and garlic for a few minutes till tender,
Add in spinach, herbs, salt and pepper and the water and fry until the water has evaporated.
Cool down on a large plate and then add the egg, cheeses and oregano.
Once the dough is ready stretch each one out as shown and described in the reel (don’t worry if you get a couple of holes) trim away any thick edges you can’t stretch out as they’ll just go hard. Split the filling into 6.
Spread some about an inch away and roll it up. Shape each one around the first spiral. Melt your butter and spread it all over.
Bake in a hot oven 190C for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven and how crunchy you like it.
Optional: spread some butter on it once cooked and enjoy.
D 🫶🏻