Serbian Layered Cheese Pie (Printable)

A golden savory Balkan pastry with crispy phyllo and a rich blend of cottage and feta cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese Filling

01 - 1 1/3 cups cottage cheese
02 - 7 oz crumbled feta cheese
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1/3 cup plain yogurt
05 - 3 tbsp sunflower oil
06 - 3 tbsp sparkling water
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Pastry

09 - 1 lb phyllo dough (about 12 sheets), thawed if frozen

→ Topping

10 - 2 tbsp sunflower oil (for brushing)
11 - 1 egg yolk (optional, for glazing)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish lightly with oil.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cottage cheese, crumbled feta, eggs, yogurt, sunflower oil, sparkling water, salt, and pepper until smooth.
03 - Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the baking dish and brush lightly with oil. Repeat for 2 more sheets, brushing each layer with oil.
04 - Spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of cheese filling evenly over the layered phyllo sheets.
05 - Continue layering 2 to 3 phyllo sheets at a time, brushing each with oil, and spreading cheese filling between every few layers until all filling and phyllo are used. Finish with 2 sheets on top.
06 - Brush the top layer generously with sunflower oil. Optionally, brush beaten egg yolk over the top for a golden finish.
07 - Cut the assembled pie into squares or diamonds using a sharp knife.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.
09 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

# Insider Tips:

01 -
  • It's deceptively simple but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The contrast between crispy, shattering phyllo and creamy, tangy cheese filling is genuinely addictive.
  • It works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or whenever someone stops by unexpectedly.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sparkling water—it's what keeps the filling light instead of becoming an eggy, heavy block.
  • If your phyllo dries out while you're working, cover the stack with a barely damp towel; moisture is your friend here, just not too much of it.
03 -
  • Cut the pie before baking, not after—the knife goes through hot phyllo much more cleanly than cooled, brittle layers.
  • If you don't have sparkling water, still water works, but you'll lose that subtle lightness in the filling that makes people say, 'What is this exactly?' in a good way.
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