Sour cherry filo pie (pita sa višnjama)

Where I come from, cherry pies are made with filo pastry and sour cherries. During cherry-picking season, my family always makes one to eat after pitting all the cherries, our fingers and clothes stained with the juices. If you ask me, the best sour cherries for this pie are a bit sweeter, but still tangy. However, any sour cherry, including frozen, can be used. You can also substitute other fruits, such as apple, which I grate and combine with cinnamon and nutmeg. Just make sure to adjust the sugar.

• serves

  12

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 12 thin sheets filo pastry
• 370 g (1⅔ cups) caster sugar
• 700 g pitted sour cherries
• 20 g vanillin sugar (see Note)
• sunflower oil, for brushing
• sifted icing sugar, for dusting

Resting time 15 minutes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200˚C.

Place 3 filo sheets on a work surface with the long edge facing you. Sprinkle each sheet with ⅓ tbsp caster sugar, then stack sheets.

Spread ¼ of the cherries over the stacked filo so it covers ⅔ of the sheet widthwise.

Combine 75 g (⅓ cup) sugar and 5 g vanillin sugar and sprinkle over the cherries. Roll the filo to enclose the filling. Repeat the process 3 more times with the remaining ingredients, then place the rolls in an oiled baking tin (use a tin the length of a filo sheet). Brush the top of the rolls with oil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, cover with a clean damp tea towel and leave for 15 minutes. If you prefer crunchy pastry, don’t cover.

Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Note

• Vanillin sugar, available from supermarkets, is vanilla-flavoured sugar.

Recipe from Palachinka by Marija Petrović, with photographs by Marija Petrović.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.