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Albanian · Balkan

Byrek me spinaq (Albanian spinach pie)

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

Byrek me spinaq

A large round pie of thin pastry layered with spinach, spring onion and white cheese, baked golden and cut into wedges.

Byrek me spinaq (Albanian spinach pie) is an Albanian savoury bake, ready in about 1 hour 25 minutes and made with filo pastry, spinach and feta. It serves 8 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
30 min
Cook
45 min
Rest
10 min
Total
1 h 25 min
Serves
8
Level
Intermediate
Calories
398

Ingredients

8 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Toss the spinach (opens in a new tab) with the salt, leave 10 minutes, then squeeze out as much water as you can.

    • 12 min

  2. Step 2

    Mix the spinach (opens in a new tab) with the spring onion (opens in a new tab), feta (opens in a new tab), eggs (opens in a new tab), yogurt (opens in a new tab), dill (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab) and 2 tbsp of the oil.

    • 5 min

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 190 °C and oil a 30 cm round tin. Layer half the filo (opens in a new tab) sheets, brushing each with oil, spread over the filling, then cover with the remaining sheets, oiling each one.

  4. Step 4

    Cut into wedges before baking, brush the top with oil and bake for 40–45 minutes until crisp and golden. Rest 10 minutes.

    Food safety: Bake until the egg in the filling is set.

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin disputedLayered pies (byrek, börek, burek, pita) descend from Ottoman cuisine; this spinach-and-cheese version is a staple of Albanian home baking.Also popular in Albania, North Macedonia, Greece
Dish
Breakfast · Lunch · Snack · Pizza & savoury pies · Pastries
Cooking method
Oven-baked
Taste
savoury, salty, herby, mild
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Portable / lunchbox · Make-ahead · Freezer-friendly
Cook more with
Filo pastry · Spinach · Feta · Spring onion · Egg · Yogurt
Techniques
Baking

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom feta, yogurt
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
  • Contains: Wheatfrom filo pastry
  • Contains: Glutenfrom filo pastry

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

398 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 211 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 13%
  • Carbohydrate 35%
  • Fat 52%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy398 kcal189 kcal
Protein12.8 g6.1 g
Carbohydrate35.1 g16.7 g
Net carbohydrate32.1 g15.2 g
Sugars1.3 g0.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3 g1.4 g
Fat23.4 g11.1 g
Saturated fat7.3 g3.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol76 mg36 mg
Sodium858 mg407 mg
Salt equivalent2.1 g1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
549 mg
Calcium
266 mg
Iron
4.5 mg
Magnesium
79 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
420 µg
Vitamin C
23 mg
Vitamin D
0.4 µg
Vitamin B12
0.7 µg
Folate (DFE)
247 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: dill.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Score through the top layers before baking so the pie cuts cleanly without shattering.

Common mistakes

  • Not squeezing the spinach — the bottom layers turn soggy.

Serve with

  • Serve with a glass of dhallë (salted yogurt drink) or plain yogurt.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated; freeze baked byrek up to 2 months.

Reheating

  • Reheat in a 180 °C oven to re-crisp.

Variations

  • Byrek me mish: Filled with minced meat and onion.
  • Byrek me qepë: Filled with slow-cooked onions and cheese.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Baker’s notes

Customise in Bread & Bakery

Timeline and readiness cues

  1. Mix and knead · about 30 min

    Knead until smooth and soft; it should feel like an earlobe.

  2. Rest · about 10 min

    Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.

  3. Bake · about 45 min at 190 °C

    Puffed with golden-brown spots on both sides.

  4. Start to finish: about 1 h 25 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

If something goes wrong

  • Pale crust

    Likely causes

    • Oven too cool
    • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
    • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

    What to do

    • Check the oven with a thermometer
    • Brush with egg wash or milk
    • Shorten the fermentation
  • Burnt bottom

    Likely causes

    • Tray too close to the heat
    • Dark tray absorbs more heat
    • Too much sugar in the dough

    What to do

    • Bake on the middle shelf
    • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
    • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
  • Crust too hard or thick

    Likely causes

    • Baked too long at too low a temperature
    • No steam at the start

    What to do

    • Bake hotter for a shorter time
    • Add steam for the first 15 minutes (tray of boiling water, or a covered Dutch oven)
    • Cool under a tea towel for a softer crust

Reviews & corrections

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