Tradicionalna Zeljanica

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour3 3/4 cup
• water1 1/2 cup
• neutral oil3 tbsp
• fine sea salt1 tsp
• baby spinach10 oz
• Swiss chard6 oz
• scallions2 med
• kosher salt1 tsp
• whole milk cottage cheese1 lb
• mild sheep's milk feta cheese8 oz
• sour cream3 tbsp
• cream cheese2 tbsp
• unsalted butter1 tbsp
• eggs4 large
• black pepper1/2 tsp
• neutral oil1/2 cup
• unsalted butter3 tbsp
• whole milk1/2 cup
• sour cream2 tbsp
• salt1/4 tsp

Method

1. 01

   Mix and knead the dough.

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour and fine sea salt, make a well, and add the lukewarm water and 3 tablespoons of neutral oil. Knead aggressively for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough transforms from rough to incredibly smooth and elastic, resembling the firmness of an earlobe.

2. 02

   Rest the dough to relax the gluten.

   Divide the dough into three equal balls, pour a little oil into your palms, and coat each ball generously. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour; without this rest, the dough will snap back and tear during stretching.

3. 03

   Extract the water from the greens.

   Toss the chopped spinach, Swiss chard, and scallions with the kosher salt in a large colander and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Take handfuls of the greens and squeeze them as hard as you physically can over the sink to expel all the dark green liquid, transferring the dry clumps to a mixing bowl.

4. 04

   Build the dairy filling.

   To the dry greens, add the drained cottage cheese, crumbled feta, 3 tablespoons sour cream, softened cream cheese, softened butter, beaten eggs, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork until it forms a cohesive, chunky paste.

5. 05

   Stretch the dough on a tablecloth.

   Preheat your oven to 400°F and lightly oil a 12-inch round metal baking pan. On a large table draped with a lightly floured clean cotton tablecloth, flatten a rested dough ball, smear it gently with a little oil, and slide the backs of your hands underneath to pull outward from the center until the dough is nearly translucent.

6. 06

   Roll and coil the pastry.

   Mix the 1/2 cup neutral oil and melted butter, and flick it lightly over the stretched dough. Drop a line of filling along the longest edge, lift the tablecloth to roll the dough into a long neat tube, and coil it gently into a tight spiral in the center of the pan. Repeat with the remaining dough.

7. 07

   Bake the zeljanica until crisp.

   Brush the top of the assembled spiral lightly with oil and bake on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown and audibly crispy.

8. 08

   Perform the final baste.

   While the pie bakes, heat the milk, 2 tablespoons sour cream, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pull the hot pie out of the oven, immediately pour the hot milk mixture evenly over the top so it hisses violently, and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes so the liquid absorbs.

9. 09

   Trap the steam to soften the crust.

   Remove from the oven and immediately drape a clean cotton kitchen towel over the pan. Let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing to create that authentic soft-yet-crispy texture.

Notes

• Use carbonated water for store-bought phyllo.

  If you can't pull dough on a weeknight, use thawed commercial phyllo sheets. Vigorously whisk 1/2 cup neutral oil with 1/2 cup carbonated mineral water and generously dab it between every layer of commercial dough to mimic the airy, tender chew of hand-pulled jufka.

• Hack the kajmak with cream cheese and butter.

  True Balkan kajmak is a slightly fermented clotted cream that is notoriously hard to find in American supermarkets. A whipped mixture of cream cheese and softened butter accurately mimics its rich fat content and mild tang.