With folded layers of fillo dough that create ruffles and a simple filling of eggs, milk, yogurt, and sour cream, this savory ruffled egg pie is quick and super easy to put together.
The egg pie (aka jajara - /yaya-ra/) recipe has been handed down through generations. It fed large families when means were sparse. Nowadays, this dish is made not out of necessity but nostalgia.
Making fillo pastry from scratch is still very much a custom in my homeland Bosnia and surrounding countries, but using ready-made pastry sheets makes this recipe a breeze. It is similar to Bosnian sirnica, Croatian strukli, and Serbian gibanica, except it's made without cheese.
It just so happened that I had leftover fillo sheets (filo or phyllo - I use all three terms intermittently) after baking plum ricotta tart, and I didn't want it to go to waste.
With ingredients for this egg pie already in my fridge, it was an easy and delicious decision. Egg pie reminds me of Greek milk pie (galaktoboureko) the way it's made, except it is not sweet. One might say it is a savory fillo bread pudding.
📃 Why it Works
- Frugal: You only need four simple ingredients to make this budget-friendly savory pie, and you probably already have them in your fridge/freezer.
- Easy: Even if you've never used fillo before, you can successfully make this ruffled egg pie. The egg custard will hide all the imperfections!
- Versatile: You will love this pie warm or cold any time of the day: breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, dinner, or as an afternoon snack.
- Low Carb: It's almost like a quiche but lighter in carbs and easier to make - no need to create and bake the crust first.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
Fillo dough: this recipe uses half a box of filo sheets, and if you don't know what to do with another half...well, whip up a Bosnian version of spanakopita, aka spinach and cheese pie.
You can use any fillo pastry (filo or phyllo - however you prefer to call it) that you have available to you. You might need to double or triple the thinner sheets.
I always go for these medium-thick sheets you can order online or look for them at your local Whole Foods Market. They work great for all kinds of dishes.
Dairy: You can use light (reduced fat) sour cream or double the yogurt amount to cut back on calories and fat, but the egg pie won't be quite as rich and silky.
🔪 Instructions
So, how do you make a simple egg pie? You mix eggs with sour cream, milk, and yogurt; pour it over the pastry sheets and bake. Simple, eh?
To get the ruffle effect, we fold the fillo sheets like a paper fan (or an accordion), then pour over the egg custard and bake it to golden perfection.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the filo pastry. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch baking pan and set aside.
- On a working surface, fold each filo pastry sheet like a paper fan. Place upright in the pan, starting at the rim. Repeat with the remaining sheets, layering them around in a circle.
- Pour the egg mixture over the prepared filo pastry. It doesn't have to be perfect.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375 F or until the top is golden brown.
👩🍳 Top Tips
- Thaw frozen fillo sheets overnight in a refrigerator. In its original package, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week.
- Tender fillo sheets are sometimes tricky to work with; it's best to work fast. Otherwise, they'll dry out, crack, break, and become useless. However, if that happens, not everything is lost. Simply crumble the sheets into the greased pan and pour with the egg mixture and continue as per recipe instructions.
- If you're new to using these fragile pastry sheets, it is best to cover them with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and only remove them to grab the next sheet so that they remain pliable.
- Don't worry about sheets splitting or having minor tears in this recipe. The egg filling will hide all the little imperfections.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Gently wrap the leftover filo in plastic wrap without any gaps for air to come in and use it again within three days. You can also freeze it again for up to 3 months, although some might be against refreezing it. I had no problems with refrozen fillo sheets as long as there were no moist spots (making them stick together) or were too dry and brittle before refreezing them.
You can certainly mix the ingredients for the egg filling a day in advance and keep it refrigerated (give it a whisk or two before pouring over the fillo). I do not recommend assembling the pie in advance as the fillo might become too soggy, and you'll end up with a sort of an omelet without the visible layers.
Keep this savory egg torta refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
😋 Other Amazing Recipes to Try
- Slovenian Vegetable and Cheese Pie
- Zucchini Ricotta Fillo Pie
- Fillo Ricotta Bundt Pie
- Orange Fillo Cake
- Baklava
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Simple Egg Pie
Equipment
- 9" or 10" round baking pan (23-25 cm)
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ lb fillo dough
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the filo pastry. Grease the bottom and sides of your baking pan and set aside.
- On a working surface, fold each filo pastry sheet like a paper fan. Place upright in the pan, starting at the rim. Repeat with the remaining sheets, layering them around in a circle.
- Pour the egg mixture over the prepared filo pastry. It doesn't have to be perfect. Poke with the tip of a knife to create small pockets for the egg mixture to distribute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you wish.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the egg mixture is set and not jiggly. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or cold.
Recipe Video
Expert Tips
- Make sure your baking dish is at least 2.5 inches deep. A shallow cake pan is NOT suitable for this recipe.
- You can sprinkle the top with sesame seeds before baking for added texture.
- Oven temperatures vary, so keep your eye on the pie during the last 10 minutes of baking. If it starts browning, but it's not set, cover lightly with a piece of foil. If it's done, but the top is not golden-brown, you can quickly broil it (30-60 sec.).
- Keep this egg pie refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.
- Thaw frozen fillo sheets overnight in a refrigerator. In its original package, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week.
- Tender fillo sheets are sometimes tricky to work with; it's best to work fast. Otherwise, they'll dry out, crack, break, and become useless. However, if that happens, not everything is lost. Simply crumble or layer the sheets into the greased pan, pour with the egg mixture, and continue as per recipe instructions.
- If you're new to using these fragile pastry sheets, it is best to cover them with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and only remove them to grab the next sheet so that they remain pliable.
- Don't worry about sheets splitting or having minor tears in this recipe. The egg filling will hide all the little imperfections.
- There is no need to grease each fillo sheet for this recipe.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in December 2016 and updated in May of 2021 with new photos and recipe tips.
Janet Vinyard says
Hi Jas, Your Simple Egg Pie recipe looks so yummy! I love anything with fillo dough! I look forward to trying this soon! Pinned! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Janet
Jas says
Hi Janet, I'm a big fan of filo dough too! I hope you'll find this simple pie easy to make. Have a nice rest of the week!