Spinach Pie

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This classic spinach pie is a common Balkan recipe that’s perfect for teatime and breakfast. 

This Bosnian Pita Pie is very similar to the Greek spanakopita.

This spinach pie, also known as “Burek” is from the areas of Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Balkan region. It is so simple and fast to make, but tastes so delicious! 

History of Bosnia Pita Pie

This spinach pie dish (spanakopita), which can also be served as a snack, holds a lot of sentiments for people from Bosnia as it is a popular food for people in the war that has ravaged the country. 

However, despite its war-related history, Bosnia pita pie is a dish that can be enjoyed at a family gathering or with friends. It is easy to make and from start to finish, it takes about 45 minutes, and you should have your spinach pie in no time. 

Bosnia was once known as Yugoslavia, a country located in Southeastern Europe. In 1992, Bosnia became its independent state after being split from Yugoslavia.

Today, Bosnia is relatively young. However, but has had a long history dating back thousands of years.

The Illyrians were the first people to inhabit Bosnia, who inhabited the area between 500 BC and 300 BC.

After the Celts came, the Romans followed. Then, Slavs moved into the region and eventually converted to Christianity. 

Over time, Bosnia fell under Ottoman control, then Austro-Hungarian rule, and finally Yugoslavian rule.

It was under Ottoman control that the pie became a popular food in Bosnia. Due to the war in the region, the Bosnia Pita Pie is a dish that became handy as it was fast and easy to make. 

Suggested Ingredients to Make This Pie 

Although there are many ways to prepare Burek, our version is very delicious and can be modified to include other ingredients.

If you would like to prepare the crust from scratch, listed below are a few ingredients to consider using. 

Milk: You can use whole milk or skimmed milk for making pie crusts from scratch. Skimmed milk doesn’t have much fat, so you won’t get as flaky a crust. Whole milk gives you a slightly richer taste.

Flour: Flour is a mixture of starch and protein. It is commonly used in baking and pastry making.

You can use any type of flour to make the pie crust. However, if you want to make a flaky crust, you should use bread flour. Bread flour contains gluten, which makes it stretchy. 

You can use all-purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour. All-purpose flour is the best option for making the Bosnia pita pie.

The flour is a combination of wheat flour and cornstarch. It works well for making both sweet and savory pies.

Butter: We recommend you use unsalted butter. Butter is a fat that comes from milk. It is commonly used for cooking and baking.

When you are using butter to make pie crust, you must use very cold butter as it will add to the flakiness of the crust.

Sugar: For your homemade pie crust, we recommend granulated sugar as it is easy to work with in baked goods.

Eggs: Eggs are optional but can be a great ingredient for making pie crusts. They help give the dough its structure and add flavor.

Egg yolks are rich in lecithin, which helps the dough stick together. Make sure you beat the eggs before adding them to the dough.

Salt: Salt is a mineral that is added to food to enhance its flavor. It is commonly used along with pepper to season foods.

You can use table salt or kosher salt for making the pie crust. Table salt is fine for making pie dough, but kosher salt adds a nice crunch to the crust.

How To Make Spanakopita

The Turkish version of this spinach pie does not include feta cheese. Since trying the Greek version, we enjoy the addition of the cheese. 

If you decide to add cheese, we strongly recommend you stick to only feta cheese as any other cheese will not work in spanakopita.

The cheese is only added to add additional flavor. It is not part of the “main” ingredient. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Prepare the ingredients: Chop the spinach if needed, dice the onions, and whisk the eggs in a small bowl. Prepare the egg mixture by combining the eggs, milk, and oil together. Sit all the ingredients aside. 

Cook the spinach and eggs: In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. Olive oil over medium-high heat. 

Add the onions and cook for 45 seconds then add the spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Remove the spinach and onions from the stove and strain in a mesh sieve. Be sure to fully extract the water as you do not want your pie to be wet. 

Cook the eggs and spinach: In the same skillet, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and add the eggs when heated over medium-low heat. Stir constantly to avoid burning. 

Just when the eggs start to form, add the spinach and mix well until just combined. Adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. 

Remove the egg and spinach mixture from the stove and add the feta cheese ½ cup at a time. Mix the cheese and the egg/spinach mixture together until well incorporated.

To Assemble the Bosnian Pita Pie: Add about 1 tsp. of oil to the 9-inch pie dish. Use a pastry brush to spread the oil. 

Then add 2-4 phyllo sheets, overlapping each other. Brush the egg mixture, then spoon a couple of the egg mixture onto the sheets. 

Brush the top of the egg-spinach mixture with the egg-milk mixture and apply 2-4 phyllo sheets. Apply the egg-milk mixture, add the egg-spinach mixture, and brush the top with the egg-milk mixture. 

Apply 2-4 more phyllo sheets and crumble and tear about 3 sheets on top. 

Apply the egg-milk mixture with the pastry brush as well as the handing sheets. Fold the hanging sheets or excess sheets from the side onto the crumbled torn sheets. And apply the egg mixture with a brush top to flatten the top surface. 

Using a sharp knife, slice the sheets into 9 squares. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees F or until golden brown on top. 

To serve, cut the pie into squares and serve. Enjoy!

Pro Tips

Spinach: I do not recommend using frozen spinach. Fresh spinach is recommended for the best flavor and freshness. This recipe calls for 2 lbs. of spinach.

In addition to cheese, the Turkish version does not include parsley. Adding fresh parsley will add depth of flavor but it is not necessary. 

You can also add in dill weed or cilantro (not commonly used). 

Phyllo Dough: If you are an advanced baker, you can make your own phyllo dough. However, if you are not, store-bought phyllo is the way to go. 

If your phyllo sheet tears, that’s perfectly fine and it is expected. Simply add another layer to the torn sheet and continue with the fill-in process. 

Egg Mixture: Do not skimp on the egg mixture. It is essential in keeping your filling and dough together. 

Do I Need To Cook The Spinach In Advance? 

Yes. You can use frozen spinach. However, I recommend fresh baby spinach. Frozen spinach if not fully thawed will be extremely watery and may dilute the flavor of your dish. 

Can I make Spinach Pie Ahead of Time?

Yes. This recipe serves well if you make it ahead of time. You can prepare the pie up to two days in advance and bake it on the day off. Or you can prepare and bake the spinach pie the day before and when ready to serve, heat it in the oven on low heat. 

What to Serve The Pie

Spanakopita or Bosnian Pita Pie is often eaten with meat dishes or salads. They are great with oven-baked lamb.

This dish, which is also a snack, holds a lot of sentiments for people from Bosnia as it is a popular food for people in the war that has ravaged the country. 

However, despite its war-related history, Bosnia pita pie is a dish that can be enjoyed at a family gathering or with friends. 

How To Store and Reheat Your Pie? 

This pie is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed anytime throughout the year. However, some people prefer eating pita pies in the winter due to the cold weather. If you want to store your pita pie in the refrigerator, here’s how to do it properly.

First, wrap the pita pie in plastic wrap before placing it inside the fridge. You don’t want any condensation build up on the outside of the pita pie, which could make it start to develop mold.

After wrapping the pita pie, place it on a flat surface and then cover it with a lid. Ensure the pita pie is completely covered; if not, the condensation could leak out.

 If you would rather keep your pita pie frozen, follow these steps:

• Place the pita pie in a big container to hold it without touching each other. 

• Then add ½ cup of water to the container. 

• Cover the container with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer. 

• Once the pita pie is frozen, remove it from the container and put it back in the refrigerator.

• The best way to eat pita pie is straight out of the oven. But if you’re going to reheat it, first thaw it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees C) to warm the pita pie. Bake the pita pie for about 15 minutes until warmed through.

More Pie Recipes You’ll Enjoy

After trying this spanakopita recipe, we recommend you try this strawberry blueberry pie recipe and this blueberry pie no-bake recipe. 

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