Balkan Spinach Cheese Spiral Pie Zeljanica 🥬✨

Description

Balkan Spinach Cheese Spiral Pie Zeljanica is a golden phyllo pie filled with spinach, white brined cheese, yogurt, eggs, and a little olive oil, then shaped into a rustic spiral and baked until crisp on top and soft inside. It is cozy, savory, and deeply Balkan, with flaky edges, creamy filling, and that homemade pie-table feeling everyone remembers.
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Hook ✨
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Crisp phyllo, creamy spinach cheese filling, golden edges, and a soft savory center make this Balkan spiral pie warm, rustic, and impossible to stop pulling apart. 🥬

Ingredients

• Spinach cheese filling 🥬
• 🥬 500 g fresh spinach, chopped (10 cups / 1.1 lb)
• 🧂 4 g fine sea salt, divided (¾ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🧀 300 g white brined cheese, crumbled (2 cups / 10.6 oz)
• 🥛 180 g Greek yogurt or thick plain yogurt (¾ cup / 6.3 oz)
• 🥚 3 large eggs, 150 g total (3 eggs / 5.3 oz)
• 🫒 45 ml olive oil (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌿 15 g fresh dill or parsley, chopped (⅓ cup / 0.5 oz)
• ‌
• Phyllo layers 🥧
• 🥧 450 g phyllo pastry sheets, thawed (16–18 sheets / 1 lb)
• 🫒 80 ml olive oil, for brushing (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• 🥛 80 ml sparkling water or milk (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• ‌
• Finish ✨
• 🥛 60 g yogurt (¼ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🥚 1 egg, 50 g (1 egg / 1.8 oz)
• 🫒 15 ml olive oil (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• ⚫ 2 g sesame seeds, optional (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Wilt the spinach 🥬
2. ‌
3. Place the chopped spinach in a large bowl with 2 g salt. Massage for 1 min, then let it sit for 10 min. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible so the pie does not become soggy.
4. ‌
5. 2️⃣ Mix the filling 🧀
6. ‌
7. In a bowl, combine squeezed spinach, crumbled white cheese, yogurt, eggs, olive oil, remaining salt, black pepper, and dill or parsley. Mix gently until creamy but still textured.
8. ‌
9. 3️⃣ Prepare the pan 🥧
10. ‌
11. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Brush a 30 cm (12 in) round baking pan or 33 × 23 cm (13 × 9 in) tray with olive oil. Keep the phyllo covered with a clean towel while working.
12. ‌
13. 4️⃣ Fill the phyllo rolls ✨
14. ‌
15. Place 1 phyllo sheet on the table, brush lightly with olive oil, then place another sheet on top. Spoon a thin line of spinach cheese filling along one long edge. Roll loosely into a long tube.
16. ‌
17. 5️⃣ Shape the spiral 🌀
18. ‌
19. Place the first roll in the center of the pan and coil it gently. Continue filling and rolling the remaining phyllo sheets, wrapping each roll around the center until the pan is full.
20. ‌
21. 6️⃣ Add moisture 🥛
22. ‌
23. Brush the spiral with olive oil, then drizzle sparkling water or milk lightly over the top. This helps the inside stay tender while the edges bake crisp.
24. ‌
25. 7️⃣ Bake until golden 🔥
26. ‌
27. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 38 min, until the top is crisp, golden, and lightly puffed.
28. ‌
29. 8️⃣ Finish glossy ✨
30. ‌
31. Whisk yogurt, egg, and olive oil. Brush this mixture over the hot pie, sprinkle with sesame seeds if using, and return to the oven for 7 min, until glossy and deeply golden.
32. ‌
33. 9️⃣ Rest and slice 🍽️
34. ‌
35. Let the pie rest for 15 min before slicing, so the filling settles and the spiral keeps its shape. Serve warm or room temperature.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 30 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 45 min
🛋 Rest: 25 min
⏰ Total: 1 h 40 min

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