Name: Krompiruša
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Bosnia
Ingredients: 8-10 phyllo or yufka pastry sheets; 800 g potatoes, peeled and finely diced or coarsely grated; 1 onion, finely chopped; 100 ml neutral oil, for brushing and the filling; 1 tsp black pepper; salt, to taste

Krompiruša is the simplest and cheapest of Bosnia's pastry pies, built entirely on finely diced potato, onion and a generous amount of black pepper, no cheese or meat required.

Despite being the humblest of the pie family, it's a genuine favorite, especially the morning after, and the pepper is meant to be felt, not just hinted at.

Part of our 20 best Bosnian recipes list.

method

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), and lightly oil a round baking pan.

Toss the diced or grated potatoes with the chopped onion, a generous amount of black pepper, salt, and a couple of tablespoons of oil.

Lay out a sheet of pastry, brush lightly with oil, and spread a thin layer of the potato filling along one edge.

Roll the sheet loosely into a long coil, and curl it into a spiral in the pan. Repeat with the remaining sheets, continuing the spiral outward until the pan is full.

Brush the top generously with oil.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp and the potato filling is fully tender.

Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving warm.

chef's tips

Cutting the potatoes very finely, or grating them, is what lets them cook through fully in the time it takes the pastry to crisp; large chunks can stay underdone.
Krompiruša takes real black pepper seriously; it's meant to be noticeably peppery, not just lightly seasoned.