Crispy layers of golden phyllo filled with zucchini, feta, eggs, tomatoes, pesto and Parmesan, finished with a warm garlic-sour-cream topping.

Tikvenusa is one of those comforting Balkan-style pies that can easily be adapted with what is in season. For this version, I wanted to keep the familiar combination of zucchini, cheese and flaky phyllo, but give it a fresh twist.

Creamy feta and zucchini are layered with juicy pieces of tomato, a little pesto and Parmesan, then baked until beautifully golden and crisp. The finishing touch is a warm butter, sour cream and garlic topping brushed over the hot pita and returned briefly to the oven.

The result is crispy on the outside, creamy and flavorful inside, with little bursts of tomato and a subtle pesto flavor throughout.

Serve it warm with fresh tomatoes and Balkan yogurt for a simple meal, breakfast, brunch or light dinner.

Ingredients

For the pita

• 500 g phyllo pastry
• 50 g butter, melted
• 50 ml oil

For the filling

• 700 g zucchini, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
• 500 g feta cheese, grated or crumbled
• 3 eggs
• 100–120 g sour cream
• 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 50 g Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tbsp pesto per rolled pita
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

For the topping

• 60–70 g butter
• 100–120 g sour cream
• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the zucchini.
   Wash, peel and remove the seeds from the zucchini. Cut into small cubes. Sprinkle with about ½ teaspoon salt, mix well and place in a colander. Leave for 20–30 minutes to release excess moisture. Gently squeeze out any remaining liquid.
2. Prepare the cheese mixture.
   In a large bowl, combine the feta, eggs and sour cream. Mix just until combined. Add the drained zucchini and gently mix again.
3. Prepare the tomatoes.
   Peel and remove the seeds from the tomatoes, then finely dice them. Set aside.
4. Prepare the butter mixture.
   Melt the butter and combine it with the oil.
5. Assemble the pita.
   Place two phyllo sheets together, brushing each lightly with the butter-and-oil mixture.
   
   Spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto over approximately one-third of the top phyllo sheet.
   
   Add about 1 cup of the zucchini and cheese filling over the pesto area and spread evenly.
   
   Sprinkle with chopped tomato, black pepper and Parmesan.
   
   Roll the phyllo into a log and place it into a lightly oiled baking pan.
   
6. Continue assembling the remaining phyllo sheets and filling in the same way, placing each roll beside the previous one.
7. Once all the rolls are in the pan, cut the pita into 6 equal parts.
8. Lightly sprinkle or mist the top with water. This helps rehydrate the phyllo slightly and gives it a beautiful crisp texture during baking.
9. Let the pita rest for about 5 minutes, then brush the top generously with the remaining butter-and-oil mixture.
10. Bake.
    Bake at 400°F (200°C) for approximately 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp.
11. Prepare the topping.
    While the pita is baking, melt the butter and remove it from the heat. Stir in the sour cream, grated garlic and a pinch of salt.
12. When the pita is beautifully golden, remove it from the oven. Pour or brush the warm garlic-sour-cream mixture over the top.
13. Return the pita to the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
14. Serve warm with fresh tomatoes and Balkan yogurt.

Recipe Notes

• Drain the zucchini well. This is one of the most important steps for keeping the phyllo crisp.
• Because feta and Parmesan are salty, taste the filling before adding additional salt.
• Do not soak the phyllo with water—just lightly mist or sprinkle the surface.
• The garlic-sour-cream topping should be added while the pita is hot so it can settle into the crisp layers.

Balkanska pita tikvenusa sa mojim dodatkom

Hrskave, zlatne kore punjene tikvicama, fetom, jajima, paradajzom, pestom i parmezanom, a zatim završene toplim prelivom od putera, pavlake i belog luka.

Tikvenusa je jedna od onih domaćih pita koje lako možemo prilagoditi sezoni i sastojcima koje imamo pri ruci. Za ovu verziju želela sam da zadržim poznatu kombinaciju tikvica, sira i tankih hrskavih kora, ali da joj dodam malo novog karaktera.

Kremasta feta i tikvice kombinuju se sa sočnim komadićima paradajza, pestom i parmezanom, a zatim se sve peče dok kore ne postanu prelepo zlatne i hrskave. Na kraju dolazi moj omiljeni završni dodatak — topao preliv od putera, pavlake i belog luka, koji se premaže preko tek pečene pite i kratko vrati u rernu.

Rezultat je hrskava pita spolja, kremasta i puna ukusa iznutra, sa komadićima paradajza i blagim ukusom pesta.

Poslužite je toplu uz svež paradajz i balkanski jogurt. Savršena je za doručak, ručak, večeru ili lagani obrok.

Sastojci

Za pitu

• 500 g kora za pitu
• 50 g otopljenog putera
• 50 ml ulja

Za fil

• 700 g tikvica, oljuštenih, očišćenih od semenki i isečenih na male kockice
• 500 g feta sira, izrendanog ili izmrvljenog
• 3 jaja
• 100–120 g kisele pavlake
• 2 srednja paradajza, oljuštena, očišćena od semenki i sitno iseckana
• 50 g fino izrendanog parmezana
• 1 kašika pesta za jednu urolanu pitu
• ½ kašičice soli, ili po ukusu
• crni biber po ukusu

Za preliv

• 60–70 g putera
• 100–120 g kisele pavlake
• 1 mali čen belog luka, fino izrendan
• prstohvat soli

Priprema

1. Pripremite tikvice.
   Operite i oljuštite tikvice, odstranite semenke i isecite ih na male kockice. Pospite sa oko ½ kašičice soli, promešajte i stavite u cediljku. Ostavite ih 20–30 minuta da puste višak tečnosti. Zatim ih rukama blago iscedite.
2. Pripremite fil.
   U većoj posudi pomešajte fetu, jaja i kiselu pavlaku. Mešajte samo dok se sastojci ne sjedine. Dodajte dobro oceđene tikvice i ponovo lagano promešajte.
3. Pripremite paradajz.
   Oljuštite paradajz, odstranite semenke i sitno ga iseckajte. Ostavite sa strane.
4. Pripremite masnoću za premazivanje kora.
   Otopite puter i pomešajte ga sa uljem.
5. Filujte pitu.
   Stavite dve kore jednu preko druge i svaku lagano premažite mešavinom putera i ulja.
   
   Na gornju koru rasporedite oko 1 kašiku pesta, samo preko približno jedne trećine kore.
   
   Preko pesta stavite oko 1 šolju fila od tikvica i sira i ravnomerno ga rasporedite.
   
   Pospite seckanim paradajzom, crnim biberom i parmezanom.
   
   Urolajte kore u rolat i stavite u blago nauljenu tepsiju.
   
6. Na isti način pripremite i preostale kore i fil, ređajući rolate jedan pored drugog.
7. Kada ste završili, isecite pitu na 6 jednakih delova.
8. Površinu lagano poprskajte vodom. Ovo će blago rehidrirati kore i pomoći da nakon pečenja budu posebno hrskave.
9. Ostavite pitu da odstoji oko 5 minuta, a zatim je premažite preostalom mešavinom putera i ulja.
10. Pečenje:
    Pecite na 400°F (200°C) oko 40 minuta, odnosno dok pita ne dobije lepu, zlatno-smeđu boju i postane hrskava.
11. Pripremite preliv.
    Dok se pita peče, otopite puter i sklonite ga sa ringle. Umešajte kiselu pavlaku, fino izrendan beli luk i prstohvat soli.
12. Kada je pita lepo rumena i hrskava, izvadite je iz rerne. Prelijte ili premažite toplim prelivom od putera, pavlake i belog luka.
13. Vratite u rernu na još oko 5 minuta.
14. Poslužite toplu uz svež paradajz i balkanski jogurt.

Napomene

• Dobro oceđene tikvice su veoma važne kako bi pita ostala hrskava.
• Feta i parmezan su već slani, zato pažljivo dodajte so.
• Vodu samo lagano poprskajte po korama. Nemojte ih natopiti.
• Preliv dodajte dok je pita još vrela kako bi se lepo upio u hrskave slojeve.