5.0 from 15 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 Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 16 byrek rolls
Calories: 116 kcal
Course:
Appetizer
Cuisine:
Albanian
Ingredients
Filling:
- 1 lb frozen spinach 450 g
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 green onions finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 7 oz feta 250 g Note 1
- 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese 225 g
- ½ cup Smetana sour cream or crème fraiche, 120 g
- 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
Instructions
- Defrost the spinach and squeeze out the excess moisture.1 lb frozen spinach/ 450 g
- 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/ 250 g + 1 cup full-fat cottage cheese / 225 g + ½ cup smetana / 120 g + 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).
Cup of Yum
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 Information
Serving
1byrek roll
Calories
116kcal
(6%)
Carbohydrates
3g
(1%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
10g
(15%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Trans Fat
0.02g
Cholesterol
35mg
(12%)
Sodium
362mg
(15%)
Potassium
145mg
(4%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
3496IU
(70%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
122mg
(12%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16byrek rolls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1byrek roll | |
| Calories | 116kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 35mg | 12% |
| Sodium | 362mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 145mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 3496IU | 70% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 122mg | 12% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.