In Sarajevo, pita is the family of filled phyllo pies other than burek: sirnica with cheese, zeljanica with spinach and krompirusa with potato.

Sarajevo's tourism board explains that burek in Sarajevo is always meat, so the cheese, spinach and potato pies are separate pitas called sirnica, zeljanica and krompirusa; Wikipedia gives the same names. Inat Kuca lists a homemade sirnica of cheese, jufke, eggs and sour cream, Nanina Kuhinja a zeljanica of spinach and feta in layered filo, and Kibe Mahala a meat or spinach pie rolled in a spiral for 11 KM.

Where to eat Pita (Bosnian phyllo family) in Sarajevo

3 editor picks for Pita (Bosnian phyllo family) in Sarajevo, ranked by editorial score. All Sarajevo signature dishes · Pita (Bosnian phyllo family) across every city.

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Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g ready-rolled phyllo pastry (for sirnica)
  • 500g feta cheese, crumbled
  • 300g ricotta or cottage cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 100ml sunflower oil for brushing
  • 100ml sparkling water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. Heat oven to 200 C; brush a round baking pan with oil.
  2. Mix feta, ricotta, eggs and salt in a bowl.
  3. Lay one phyllo sheet, brush with oil, layer a second on top.
  4. Spread a strip of cheese filling along one long edge and roll into a long tube.
  5. Coil the tube into a spiral in the centre of the pan; repeat with remaining phyllo and filling.
  6. Brush the top with oil and a tablespoon of sparkling water; bake 35 minutes until golden.
  7. Brush with another tablespoon of water once out of the oven; rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Editor tip. For zeljanica, swap the cheese for blanched and squeezed spinach mixed with feta and an egg.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.