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Plăcintă aromână, also known as plăcintă macedoneană in Romania, is a traditional pie that is usually filled with leeks or spinach, eggs, cheese, and sour cream. On a pastry sheet that has been brushed with lard, the egg-cheese filling with blanched spinach or leeks is evenly spread, topped with another dough layer, and then baked in the oven.
Once baked, the pie is usually served warm for breakfast, with a glass of yogurt on the side.
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Kljukuša is a traditional Bosnian dish dating back to the Ottoman Empire. In its basic form, this pie-like dish is made merely with flour, salt, and water, while the filling consists of grated potatoes and eggs, and sometimes also garlic, sour cream, or milk.
The mixture is traditionally baked in round pans, and should not be too thick. When baked, kljukuša is either cut into slices or torn by hands into bite-sized pieces (ćopana or istrgana kljukuša) that are then coated in various combinations of fat, butter, sour or clotted cream, cheese, or milk.
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Kvrguša is a traditional Bosnian specialty consisting of a layer of dough and chicken pieces. The dish is mainly associated with Bosanska Krajina and Kozarac, but it is also commonly prepared and enjoyed in other regions. The base of kvrguša is prepared with a combination of flour, eggs, and milk, and it closely resembles another Bosnian delicacy called kljukuša—a pie-like dish served torn into small bite-size pieces.
The combination of flour and milk is poured into round pans, and the dish is finished off with the addition of various raw or previously fried chicken cuts, such as thighs and legs, which are placed on the top. The pie is slowly baked until the meat is done and the dough develops a golden, crispy crust.
This traditional Greek meat pie combines flaky phyllo dough with a flavorful ground meat filling. Since it is eaten across the country, kreatopita appears in numerous versions that often vary in shape and adapt the filling with rice, leeks, cheese, béchamel sauce, and various herbs and seasonings.
Regardless of the abundant varieties, they can all be enjoyed as a filling main course, snack, or even as a convenient street food option.
MOST ICONIC Kreatopita
North Macedonian answer to pizza is called pastrmajlija, a rustic bread pie consisting of dough topped with cubed or sliced meat (usually pork and cured mutton), with variations that might include eggs, hot peppers, and other ingredients. Pastrmajlija is often baked in traditional ovens at very high temperature.
This oval-shaped delicacy is sometimes accompanied by hot pickled peppers, and it is especially popular during the colder, winter months. The name of the dish is derived from the word pastrma, meaning salted and dried sheep or lamb meat.
VARIATIONS OF Pastrmajlija
This crispy feta pie is a specialty of Epirus. It is one of the simplest Greek pies consisting of a thin batter that is sprinkled with feta cheese. Traditionally, it is never leavened, and the dough is usually prepared with wheat flour, milk or yogurt, and eggs.
Optional additions sometimes include herbs, while less common versions add vegetables or replace feta with other types of cheese. The pie is baked in a large round or rectangular pans, and it is usually served drizzled with olive oil. It is enjoyed as a filling breakfast or a convenient snack.
MOST ICONIC Alevropita
Proja is a traditional cornbread made with a combination of cornmeal, salt, and water. As soon as milk, beaten eggs, and butter or oil are added to this peasant dish, it's no longer a cornbread but a savory pie called projara, projanica, razlevak, or muruzara, depending on which part of Serbia you find yourself in.
After it has been baked in a pan, projara is typically cut into squares and served warm. It should be crusty on all sides, and since it's a bit dry, it is recommended to pair it with cheese, yogurt, pavlaka, pasulj (bean stew), sauerkraut, sarma, or cracklings.
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The traditional version of this savory Greek pie employs a flavorful zucchini and feta filling which is placed between two layers of phyllo pastry, usually the homemade type that is slightly thicker than the store bought varieties. Similar versions of kolokithopita can be layered or prepared without the crust, while the filling can be adapted with additional ingredients and zucchinis can be replaced with winter squash.
The pie comes in numerous shapes and sizes, and they can be enjoyed as a snack, an appetizer, or a light main course. The varieties prepared with winter squash are occasionally transformed into desserts, in which feta is left out, and the pie is doused in sugar syrup.
Tirenia is a traditional cheese pie hailing from the island of Kimolos. The dough is typically cut into rectangles or squares which are then topped with a portion of cheese before the edges are folded over the filling, leaving the center open. Once assembled, the cheese pies are baked until they develop a nice color and crispy crust on the outside while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.
The cheese filling usually consists of beaten eggs, freshly ground black pepper, and crumbled local cheese such as the Kimolian manouri. This savory Greek pie often calls for using a type of yeast dough, although some versions are made with a combination of flour, warm water, olive oil, eggs, and salt.
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Manitaropita is a traditional pie that's especially popular in Kastoria. Although there are many variations, the pie is usually made with thick sheets of phyllo dough that are filled with a combination of sautéed portobello mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, mint, parsley, oregano, thyme, olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
The pie is often brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds before baking. Once baked until golden brown, manitaropita is left to cool down, and it's then cut into slices before being served.
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