If you grew up in the Balkans, pita needs no introduction. If you didn’t, it might be the best thing you try this year.
Bosnian pita is a savoury pie made from paper thin dough. The dough is stretched by hand until you can almost read through it, filled, rolled into long ropes and coiled into a round pan. Then it bakes until the outside shatters and the inside stays soft.
Burek or pita?
Here’s where people get mixed up. In Bosnia, burek means one thing only: pita filled with meat. Every other filling has its own name, and together they’re all called pita.
- Zeljanica is filled with spinach and cheese.
- Sirnica is filled with fresh cheese.
- Krompiruša is filled with potato.
So if a Bosnian hears you call a cheese pie “burek”, expect a friendly correction. It’s part of the fun.
How is it made?
Good pita is all about the dough. It starts as a simple mix of flour, water, salt and a little oil. The skill is in the stretching. Bakers pull it over a big table until it’s thin and even, brush it with oil, then spread the filling and roll it up.
The rolls get coiled into a round baking tray, called a tepsija, and baked hot. That’s where the golden spiral you see in the case comes from.
Which filling should you try first?
If it’s your first time, go for spinach and cheese. It’s the classic, it’s comforting, and it shows off the flaky layers. If you like something heartier, potato is soft and peppery and very filling. Cheese is the simplest of all and a favourite with kids.
At Sarajevo Kitchen we make pita with spinach, cheese or potato, and it’s $9.99 per piece.
How to eat it
In Bosnia, pita is breakfast, lunch, or something you grab on the way home. Many people eat it with a glass of plain yogurt on the side, which cuts through the richness. It’s also great cold the next day, if it lasts that long.
A piece makes a good lunch for one. If you’re feeding the family, grab a few pieces with different fillings and share.
Come try it
Pita is the heart of our bakery case on Mayor Magrath Drive. Come early for the best pick, or order now and we’ll have it ready for you. Everything we serve is 100% halal.
