Albanian Spinach Pie (Byrek Rolls)

albanian byrek rolls stapled on a platter.

5 from 5 votes

Albanian Spinach Pie (Byrek Rolls)

These baked Albanian byrek, made with phyllo dough and feta, are the perfect party appetizer. Easy to prepare, they’re crispy on the outside with a soft, savory filling.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Albanian

Servings: byrek rolls

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Small pan
Baking sheet
Parchment paper

Ingredients

Filling:

1 lb frozen spinach
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 green onions finely chopped
2 garlic cloves grated
7 oz feta Note 1
1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
½ cup smetana sour cream or crème fraiche
2 small eggs
fine sea salt and ground black pepper

Phyllo:

1 packet phyllo dough Note 2 - Important
4-5 tablespoons oil for brushing the dough

US - EU

Instructions

Defrost the spinach and squeeze out the excess moisture.
1 lb frozen spinach
Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Sauté green onions: Finely chop them. Heat the oil and sauté the onion for a couple of minutes until slightly softer.
4 green onions + 1 tablespoons olive oil
Filling: Mix the green onions, spinach, grated garlic, crumbled feta, cottage cheese, smetana/creme fraiche, and eggs thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2 garlic cloves + 7 oz feta + 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese + ½ cup smetana + 2 small eggs + fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Cut phyllo: Place one sheet of phyllo pastry on the working surface and brush it with oil. Layer two more sheets on top, brushing each with oil. Cut the phyllo sheets into 16 rectangles of 10x7 inches/ 25x18 cm.
1 packet phyllo dough + 4-5 tablespoons oil
Fill and roll: Place a heaping tablespoon of filling on the bottom of each rectangle. Fold the long sides of the phyllo over the filling, then fold the bottom edge over it as well. Roll up the pastry starting from the bottom. Place the rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with the remaining oil.
Bake the Albanian rolls for 30 minutes or until golden brown. If they darken too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
Let them cool slightly (5-10 minutes) before serving. You can also serve them at room temperature (Note 3).

Notes

Feta: Use good-quality feta, preferably from Greece and Bulgaria, and made from sheep or cow’s milk. Avoid pre-crumbled feta, as it can lack the desired texture and flavor. Look for blocks of feta in brine for the best taste.
Smetana is a thick, sour cream-like dairy product common in Eastern European cuisine, and it can be replaced with crème fraiche or sour cream.
Phyllo dough comes in different sizes, so you will probably not need the whole packet. I used very large sheets, so 3 were enough to make 16 rolls. Use as many as required based on the size of your sheets. See the blog post for more ideas for using phyllo dough.
You can also use yufka dough.

Nutrition