Pita with sour cherries

Pita is a type of Yugoslavian strudel, you can read more about my relationship with pita (and sour cherries) in my newsletter called “The Cherry Tree”.

My mom would only use sour cherries and sugar, so leave everything else out if you want to try her recipe. Make both and compare them. Ignore us both, change all the ingredients, and leave a comment on all your swaps like this is the New York Times.

Recipes are only ideas and this is mine.

Ingredients

Makes 3 ROLLS

• 500g | 1lb frozen phyllo dough, thawed (or 1 recipe kore)

• 500g | 1lb | 2 cups sour cherries, pitted

• 200g | 1 cup sugar

• 3g | 1 tsp salt

• 5g orange zest (1 orange, optional)

• 30g orange juice (1 orange, optional)

• 5g vanilla extract (or one packet of vanilla sugar, optional)

• 60g | 4 tbsp butter, melted (or grapeseed oil, but butter leads to an airier, flakier texture)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.

Make the filling: Place the cherries, sugar, salt, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Toss to coat and set aside.

Assemble the rolls: Lay out 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Sprinkle with a handful (2 tbsp) of cherries and 1 tsp of melted butter. Add another sheet of phyllo, sprinkle with another handful of cherries. Spread the cherries out, so that each layer fills in the gaps between cherries on each layer. Add another 1 tsp of butter. Repeat for a total of 4 layers of phyllo and 4 layers of cherries.

Roll: If your phyllo dough is 12x16” you want to roll the long side (so you end up with a 16” long roll).

Transfer to a baking sheet and sprinkle the top with granulated sugar. Repeat with the remaining phyllo dough. You can allow the rolls to touch, or if using a tepsia, spiral the rolls.

Repeat for a total of 3 rolls.

Bake: Bake for 45–60 minutes until puffed and golden and crisp on the outside. There may be cherry juice bubbling on the outside.

Serve: Slice into 2” pieces. Serve warm.