Lenja Pita sa Jabukama/ “Lazy”Balkan Apple Squares

I’m surprised that I haven’t shared this recipe with you yet as it’s a staple sweet treat known and enjoyed by many throughout the Balkans. Lenja Pita sa Jabukama is the quintessential apple dessert in my area and this is my take on a family favorite that I’ve enjoyed for many years. “Lenja Pita” or “Lazy Pie” is used to describe the quick and simple preparation of this dessert as opposed to desserts and cakes that are much more labor-intensive. It does still involve peeling, grating, and using a hand mixer, so I don’t know about the “lazy” part :).

Lenja Pita sa Jabukama has shown up numerous times in my childhood, sometimes made at home by my mom, and sometimes we’d be offered this fragrant treat when visiting family and friends. It was something quick, easy, and simple that could be whipped up within an hour with things found in most Balkan households at any given time. A few apples, eggs, milk, flour, and a few other pantry staples make up this soft, sweet, and delicious homemade treat. I always remember this dessert at the beginning of fall when apple picking season is in full swing, however, this is enjoyed all year round. We went apple picking recently and I decided to use some of those fresh apples for this dish.

Since starting my blog, my mom has asked on many occasions when I would share her Lenja Pita recipe. This is not her recipe though, as I’ve changed her recipe considerably to make this a little simpler. You see, she combined Lenja Pita and another similar dessert called Čupava Kata to create a hybrid apple dessert which I’ll be sharing at a later time. This though is a true Lenja Pita recipe which is just as delicious as her combo version. My mom likes to make most things more difficult than they have to be….and I must admit I tend to be the same way sometimes. But not for this recipe!

It’s best to use a combo of slightly tart and sweet apples for this filling. The amount of Plazma keks you will need to add will also depend on how juicy your apples are as well. This time, I had to use about 3 tablespoons of keks but every time you make this recipe you may need to alter the amount based on your apples. Also, feel free to add other fruit or nuts to the filling if that’s something you enjoy. Sometimes I like to add ground walnuts to my filling and it’s always been well received. 🙂

I hope you enjoy this simple and traditional recipe. For more delicious baked goods, check out the Bakery section. And for more dessert ideas, check out the dessert section!

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Lenja Pita sa Jabukama/ “Lazy”Balkan Apple Squares

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: DessertCuisine: Balkan

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Old fashioned apple “pita” for those days when you’re craving comfort….quick!

Ingredients

• Cake

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup (200 g) sugar

• 1/2 cup (100 ml) milk

• 1/2 cup (100 ml) oil

• 1/4 teaspoon (2 ml) vanilla extract, optional

• 1.5 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour

• Pinch salt

• 1 tablespoon baking powder (1 kesica)

• Filling

• 6 medium apples (or 4 large ones) both tart and sweet, peeled

• 1-3 tablespoons (12.5-38 g) sugar

• 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (1 kesica)

• 1-3 tablespoons (12.5-38 g) ground Plazma keks or Petit Buerre biscuits

• Cinnamon, to taste

• Also

• Powdered sugar for dusting on top

Directions

• Cake
• Preheat oven to 350 F/175 C. Grease a baking pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper. The size of the baking pan is up to you, I like to use a 9×13 inch baking pan but keep in mind the smaller the pan the taller/thicker your slices will be and the bigger your pan the shorter/thinner they will be.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick (2-3 minutes). Next, to the bowl add the milk, oil, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt. Whisk again briefly to incorporate all the ingredients.
• After all the liquid ingredients have been combined, to the bowl add the flour and baking powder. Mix slightly with the mixer turned off to incorporate some of the flour before turning the mixer on to prevent a flour bomb 🙂
• Whisk the batter together until the flour has been combined (less than 1 minute on high).
• Pour 3/4 of the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly across the bottom.
• Transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top has turned a light brown color. While the cake layer bakes, prepare the filling.
• Filling
• Grate your peeled apples into a large skillet and then add the vanilla sugar and regular sugar-based on apple sweetness. If your apples are on the sweet side use less sugar but still include the entire packet of vanilla sugar.
• Begin to cook the apples on medium-high heat until they begin to turn a caramel brown color and become softer for about 5 minutes. Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn off the heat and add cinnamon if using, to taste.
• Determine how much ground Plazma keks you’ll need to add. If your apples released a lot of juice add enough Plazma keks to create a compact mass that does not drip with liquid when picked up with a spoon. Essentially, add enough ground keks to soak up all the liquid. Set filling aside.
• Assembly
• Once the bottom cake layer has baked, remove the pan from the oven and spread the apple filling on top (no need to wait for it to cool) in an even layer.
• Pour the remaining batter on top of the apple filling and spread in an even layer.
• Return the baking pan to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown on top.
• Serving
• Allow the Lenja Pita to cool completely, then cut into generous pieces, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.

Notes

• Add other fruit or even nuts to your filling. My favorite thing to add is ground walnuts.
• Try using apple pie spice, it truly takes this filling to the next level.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.