How to Make Slovenian Vegetable and Cheese Pie with Fillo

Slovenian Loparnica is a mixed vegetable and cheese pie made from layers of fillo dough, spinach, carrots, red cabbage, and cottage cheese. It is a delicious stand-alone vegetarian dish or a meat supplement.

Who says you can't have pie for dinner?

Loparnica will have family and friends coming back for seconds (and thirds) - even the ones who don't eat their vegetables!

This Slovenian delicacy is traditionally made with yeast-based dough and sometimes using crepes instead.

But since the world is embracing healthier eating options, you will find loparnica on local menus made with fillo pastry. It also cuts down on preparation time.

📃 Why it Works

• Not only is this savory pie absolutely delicious, but it also requires simple and fresh ingredients. It is perfectly yummy all by itself or served with roasted turkey, chicken, or beef for a festive meal your whole family will love!
• It has a lovely fall and winter flavor palette without the pumpkin. [perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner table] 🦃 🎄
• Vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.
• This pie is a colorful show-stopper! [fitting for Halloween and Mardi Gras] 🎃 🎭
• Fillo is low in carbs, contains very little fat, no cholesterol, and no trans fats, making this dish a healthier option from the original. 

🛒 Ingredients and Notes

To make this vegetarian pie, you will basically need some veggies, cottage cheese, eggs, and fillo pastry.

You can substitute spinach with kale, chard, or turnip greens.

The aromatics and spices are simple, but plenty. They don't overpower but still add flavors to the pie.

🔪 Instructions

1. Prep the vegetable fillings: Clean and slice carrots and cabbage. Cook spinach, carrots, and cabbage (separately) until crisp-tender. 

2. Prep the cheese filling: Mix cottage cheese with eggs.

3. Assemble the pie: Layer fillo sheets on the bottom of your baking pan; oil each layer. Spread sour cream on top and spoon cooked spinach.

Repeat layering the fillo, sour cream, vegetable fillings, and cheese filling (omitting the sour cream in this layer). Add more fillo sheets on top and brush with oil.

4. Bake for one hour and until the top is golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing. 

• The best way to quickly work with fillo is to separate sheets beforehand. That way, you don't have to fuss with them while trying to assemble your layers. Right before you're ready to use them, separate sheets one by one, lightly roll each sheet (following its natural crease), and place them on a large cookie sheet (it's OK to stack them on top of each other). Cover with plastic wrap. It makes baking with fillo a breeze.
• Don't worry about any tears in your fillo (or phyllo, filo - what's in a name?). They won't be visible once this easy vegetarian dish is done. 
• I made this pie using organic fillo, my go-to fillo because it's thicker and less fragile than others. If you have to use any other fillo, you might have to add an extra sheet in each layer. 
• You can layer the fillings in any order.
• Instead of cooking the spinach, sauté or steam it. You can also use frozen spinach. Cook according to package direction. 
• To speed up cabbage cooking, cook it in salted water for about 5 minutes, drain well, and then mix with sautéed onions. I prefer to cook them with onions (as indicated in the recipe) to have one less dirty dish.
• Squeeze the heck out of those cooked vegetables, and then squeeze some more (dab the cooked carrots with paper towels)! You don't want a soggy pie! 
• The pie will fit into an 8-inch pan, too (which I used), but some dripping will occur. Place a foil-covered cookie sheet underneath the pan to catch it.

Watch this GIF for layering veggies, cheese, and fillo sheets.

👉 Variations

The best part about this vegetarian layered dish is that you can make it your own. Approach it like you would vegetable lasagna: use your favorite garden vegetables. Here are some suggestions, just to name a few:

• Chard
• Zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Leeks
• Savoy cabbage
• Kale
• Sweet potato
• Butternut squash

You can also add chopped bacon or ham to the filling.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

• Zucchini Ricotta Fillo Pie
• Fillo Ricotta Bundt Pie
• Easy Vegetable Pot Pie
• Spinach and Cheese Pie
• Simple Egg Pie

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Vegetable and Cheese Pie with Fillo

By Jas

This delicious Vegetable and Cheese Pie has a ton of flavor, crunch, and uses simple and fresh ingredients. It brings all the flavors of fall to your table.

5 from 2 votes

Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Resting Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Slovenian

Yields 8 servings

Calories 544 kcal

EQUIPMENT

• 9-inch baking pan

Ingredients

1x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 1 pound fillo dough, defrosted (10-12 sheets)
• ▢ 2 cups sour cream, full or reduced-fat
• ▢ ½ cup olive or vegetable oil

Spinach Filling

• ▢ 1 pound fresh spinach
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cheese Filling

• ▢ 1 pound cottage cheese, I used small curds
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Carrot Filling

• ▢ 1 pound carrots, about 3 large
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

Cabbage Filling

• ▢ 1 small head red cabbage, about 2 pounds or less
• ▢ ½ cup chopped onion
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Spinach Filling

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 pound of fresh spinach leaves and push down to submerge them in the water. Cook for 1 minute, then drain the spinach well, squeezing out excess liquid.
• Beat the egg with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg; mix into the spinach. Set aside.

Cheese Filling

• In a medium bowl, mix 1 pound cottage cheese, 1 egg, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Carrot Filling

• Peel and slice 1 pound of carrots. Place the sliced carrots and ½ teaspoon of salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the carrots to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Drain off any excess water. Set aside.

Cabbage Filling

• Cut one small head of red cabbage into half, then quarters. Remove the stem and, using a serrated knife or a mandolin, thinly slice/shred the cabbage quarters.
• In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup of chopped yellow onion and sauté until translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add cabbage to the skillet and, occasionally stirring, cook until tender and all liquid has evaporated about 10 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and set aside.

Assemble

• Grease a 9-inch round (or square) baking pan that is at least 2 inches deep.
• Place one fillo sheet in the pan. Edges of fillo should hang over the sides of the pan. Lightly brush the fillo sheet with oil. Continue to layer three more sheets of fillo brushing each layer with oil and rotating sheets to cover the pan.
• Keep remaining sheets covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
• Gently spread ⅓ of the sour cream over the top fillo sheet. Spoon the spinach filling evenly over the sour cream.
• Layer two more sheets of fillo, brushing each layer with oil and rotating sheets to cover the pan. Cover the top pastry sheet with half of the remaining sour cream and cover evenly with cooked carrots.
• Repeat the layering of oiled fillo and cheese (skipping sour cream in this layer) and then fillo, sour cream, and cabbage. Fold edges of fillo over the last filling. Cover with one folded sheet of fillo, or fold one or two sheets and coil on top for a prettier look. Brush the fillo with oil.
• Lightly cover with aluminum foil and bake in 350 degrees Fahrenheit preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, removing the foil halfway through baking. You want the top layer to have a beautiful golden brown color, so bake a few minutes more if necessary.
• Remove from the oven and let stand for 20-30 minutes before cutting. Enjoy warm or cold.

Notes

• The best way to quickly work with fillo is to separate sheets beforehand. That way, you don't have to fuss with them while trying to assemble your layers. So before you're ready to use them, separate sheets one by one, lightly roll each sheet (following its natural crease), and place them on a large cookie sheet (it's OK to stack them on top of each other). Cover with plastic wrap. It makes baking with fillo a breeze.
• Don't worry about any tears in your fillo (or phyllo, filo - what's in a name?). They won't be visible once this easy vegetarian dish is done. 
• If you're using thin sheets of fillo that are great for baklava, you might have to add one or two sheets in each layer. See the tips in the post above for brand recommendation.
• You can layer the fillings in any order.
• Instead of cooking the spinach, sauté or steam it; you can also use frozen spinach - cook according to package direction. 
• To speed up cabbage cooking, cook it in salted water for about 5 minutes, drain well, and mix with sautéed onions. I prefer to cook them with onions (as indicated in the recipe) to have one less dirty dish.
• Squeeze the heck out of those cooked vegetables, and then squeeze some more (dab the cooked carrots with paper towels)! You don't want a soggy pie! 
• The pie will fit into an 8-inch pan, too (which I used), but some dripping will occur. Place a foil-covered cookie sheet underneath the pan to catch it.
• Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.

Nutrition

Calories: 544kcal (27%) | Carbohydrates: 50g (17%) | Protein: 17g (34%) | Fat: 32g (49%) | Saturated Fat: 11g (55%) | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg (27%) | Sodium: 1018mg (42%) | Potassium: 965mg (28%) | Fiber: 6g (24%) | Sugar: 11g (12%) | Vitamin A: 16456IU (329%) | Vitamin C: 80mg (97%) | Calcium: 247mg (25%) | Iron: 5mg (28%)

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