Whatever the occasion, any time I plan to have someone over I like to make sure I have something homemade. In fact, my friends and family always know that they’ll be something to try, and most of the time it’s something they’re totally not expecting, like an old-fashioned recipe or something they haven’t had in a long time. The last couple of months I’ve gotten quite a few requests for kiflice, so when I have the time, I make those. But when I don’t have time to make them, this pica pužići/pizza pinwheels recipe is one that I revert to. It tastes delicious, it’s quicker to make, and you get the same effect for less work.
I recently featured 2 different variations of this recipe on my Instagram story. By the way, I hope you’re following me on Instagram. I’m very active on my stories and will usually show what I’m cooking day to day to give you some ideas. A few weekends ago, I made this recipe as well as a green onion and cheese filling version which I’ll be sharing soon too. They were so good, my husband asked me to post this recipe and gladly enjoyed these over the weekend when I made some for photos.
The filling here is very much up to you. I call this my pizza filling but use Ajvar instead of pizza sauce. Feel free to make as many modifications as you’d like. My personal favorite is the green onion and cream cheese but my husband definitely enjoys these more. Make sure to use a sharp knife when cutting the dough as you don’t want to crush each slice.
I hope you make this recipe soon. It’s another one of my recipes that came out of necessity and I usually find that those are the best ones.
Looking for more baked goods? Check out the bakery section of the website!
Pica Pužići/Pizza Pinwheels
Course: AppetizersCuisine: balkan, Serbian10
servings40
minutes35
minutesA simple and quick Balkan recipe for any occasion.
Ingredients
- Dough
1 tablespoon (8.5 g) active dry yeast
2 cups (500 ml) milk, warm
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon (12 g) sugar
1 tablespoon (17 g) salt
1 1/3 cup (300 ml) oil
8 cups (1 kg) flour + more for rolling out dough
- Additionally
3 egg yolks
- Filling
Ajvar
1/4 lb (120 g) Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 lb (120 g) deli meat of choice, thinly sliced (I use hard salami)
Directions
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large mug pour in the warm milk and add in the yeast and sugar. Stir and cover with plastic wrap. Then set aside until nice and foamy ( around 10 minutes).
- While the yeast is proofing, in a large bowl, beat the eggs, and add in all of the oil. Whisk the eggs and oil together until all one color and thick. When the yeast has proofed, add it to the eggs as well as the salt. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon. When the dough begins to thicken, remove the wooden spoon and begin to knead with your hands. Continue to add flour until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl and is compact.
- Once the dough is nice and compact, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm place to rise for around 30 minutes, or until almost double in size.
- When the dough has risen, transfer it to a floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle, making sure the dough is evenly rolled out. You will need a large work surface for this step.
- Once the dough has been rolled out, spread the Ajvar across the entire surface of the dough. Then place your cheese slices on top followed by your deli meat of choice.
- Starting at the wide end closest to you, begin rolling the dough into a log, ensuring the meat and cheese do not slide off of the dough.
- Roll the dough into a semi-tight log. Next using a sharp knife, slice the log into equal slices (about 1-1.5 inches thick).
- Place your slices onto a parchment paper-lined baking tray and cover. Allow to rise while you preheat your oven.
- At this point, begin preheating your oven at 350 F/175 C.
- Once the dough has risen slightly, brush each slice lightly with the beaten egg yolks and bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- These are best enjoyed the same day, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight plastic bag for up to 2 days at room temperature.
- These are great reheated in the microwave too!
