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Golden layered zeljanica squares with spinach and white cheese filling on a wooden surface.

Zeljanica – Bosnian Spinach and Cheese Pie

442.82kcal
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Prep 35 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Resting Time 20 minutes
Total 1 hour 35 minutes
A layered Bosnian pita with fresh spinach, mild white cheese, quark, and thin phyllo sheets. A yogurt-and-egg brushing mixture keeps the layers supple; a short covered finish softens the golden top.
Servings 8 servings
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bosnian

Ingredients

Spinach and Cheese Filling
  • 17.6 oz fresh spinach washed, dried, tough stems removed; weigh before salting
  • 10.6 oz mild white cheese well drained; Balkan white cheese preferred
  • 5.3 oz plain quark German 20% fat in dry matter; see shopping notes
  • 1 large egg for the filling
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt for wilting the spinach
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper approximately; Metric weight is the reference
Yogurt Brushing Mixture
  • 7.1 oz plain whole-milk yogurt regular, unstrained; about 3.5% fat
  • 1 large egg for the brushing mixture
  • 6 tbsp sunflower oil US volume rounded; use Metric for the exact formula
  • 3 1/3 tbsp sparkling mineral water plain; 1/3 tablespoon equals 1 teaspoon
Pastry and Pan
  • 17.6 oz thin phyllo or pita yufka sheets fully thawed according to package directions
  • 2 tsp sunflower oil for the pan

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Colander or salad spinner
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Pastry brush
  • Metal baking pan about 15 × 11 inches (38 × 28 cm)
  • Food thermometer
Start Cooking

Method

  1. Thaw the pastry. Thaw frozen phyllo fully according to its package directions before starting; thawing time is additional. Keep the package closed until the filling, brushing mixture, and pan are ready.
  2. Dry and salt the spinach. Wash the spinach, dry thoroughly, remove tough stems, and cut into strips about ½–¾ inch (1–2 cm) wide. Toss with the filling salt and massage for about 1 minute. Let stand for 10 minutes, then squeeze firmly in small handfuls to remove released liquid.
  3. Mix the filling. Mash the drained white cheese finely with a fork. Stir in the quark, the filling egg, and black pepper. Loosen the squeezed spinach and fold it through. The filling should be moist and spreadable without free liquid. Keep refrigerated while preparing the other components.
  4. Whisk the brushing mixture. Whisk the yogurt with its separate egg until smooth. Gradually whisk in the brushing oil, then briefly mix in the sparkling water. Stir again regularly during layering so the oil stays distributed.
  5. Heat and prepare the pan. Preheat a conventional oven to 400°F (200°C), a practical Fahrenheit rounding. Use a lower-middle rack. Thinly coat a metal baking pan about 15 × 11 inches (38 × 28 cm) with the pan oil.
  6. Divide pastry and filling. Trim or arrange the sheets to cover the pan; usable offcuts can lie flat between intact sheets. Reserve roughly one-quarter of the pastry for the bottom and one-quarter for the top. Divide the remaining half into three similar intermediate bundles. Divide the filling into four equal portions. Keep waiting sheets under parchment topped with a barely damp towel, without the towel touching the pastry.
  7. Build the bottom. Lay in the bottom bundle one sheet at a time, brushing each lightly with the yogurt mixture. Spread the first portion of filling evenly and loosely over it. Avoid pressing it into a dense layer.
  8. Add the middle layers. Add the first intermediate bundle sheet by sheet, brushing each lightly, then spread the second filling portion. Repeat with the second bundle and third portion, then the third bundle and final filling portion. Keep the four filling layers thin and even.
  9. Cover and brush the top. Add the reserved top sheets individually, brushing each lightly all the way to the edges. Distribute any remaining brushing mixture evenly across the surface rather than leaving a puddle in one place.
  10. Bake until set. Bake about 35–40 minutes, until the top and edges are evenly golden and the bottom is baked. Check the central egg-and-cheese filling for at least 160°F (71°C). If the surface browns early, tent loosely with foil for the final baking stage and continue until the center and base are done.
  11. Rest and portion. Let the baked pie stand uncovered for 5 minutes. Cover the pan with parchment and then a clean, dry kitchen towel for another 15 minutes. Divide into the number of servings shown and serve warm. Uncover after resting to avoid trapping excess steam.

Nutrition

Calories442.82kcalCarbohydrates40.5gProtein17.56gFat22.47g

Notes

  • Use the weighed Metric quantities as the reference; US ounces are rounded weights. One 1-pound package is only 454 g, so it does not supply the full pastry amount. Count and divide your actual sheets rather than using a universal sheet count.
  • Quark labeled 20% Fett i.Tr. has 20% fat in its dry matter; the finished product may contain roughly 4–5 g fat per 100 g. A smooth, unsalted cultured farmer cheese is a possible US adaptation, with different moisture and fat; it is not a guaranteed identical substitute. Avoid hard aged farmer cheese, cream cheese, and puff pastry.
  • Use mild cheese and taste it before adding raw egg. If exceptionally salty, select a milder cheese; the measured spinach salt is already part of the formula. Do not add extra salt automatically.
  • For larger batches, use additional pans of similar size and depth. Baking time does not multiply with ingredient quantities. The 20-minute rest is 5 minutes uncovered plus 15 minutes covered; the spinach's 10-minute stand occurs within preparation.
  • Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or colder and use within 2 days. Reheat at 355°F (180°C), allowing about 8–10 minutes as a starting guide, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
  • Nutrition is a label-based estimate for one-eighth of the recipe, using specified reference products for phyllo, feta-style white cheese, quark, and yogurt, plus USDA egg, oil, and pepper composition. All oil and salt are counted; spinach liquid losses and brand differences change actual values. It is not a laboratory result.