LAZY CHERRY PIE

Cherry season and afternoon coffee go hand in hand here, so I decided to revive an old‐school favourite my grandma swore by: lenja pita. The name literally means “lazy pie” because the batter comes together in a flash, yet the result tastes like you baked all day. I add a hint of lemon zest and a whisper of cinnamon—little Macedonian touches that lift the flavour without stealing the show. Serve it chilled on a shaded balcony, and you will hear that first crispy-soft bite echo down the street.

Lazy cherry pie

Ingredients (20 × 30 cm pan)

Batter

  • 2 eggs, separated

  • 1 cup (200 g) sugar

  • 1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt

  • ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil

  • 2½ cups (about 300 g) all-purpose flour

  • 10 g baking powder (1 sachet)

  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar

  • Finely grated zest of ½ lemon (my twist)

Cherry filling

  • 700 g pitted sour cherries (fresh, frozen, or jarred, well-drained)

  • 4 Tbsp sugar (adjust to your cherries)

  • 1 packet raspberry-flavoured pudding powder or 40 g cornstarch

  • 3–4 Tbsp cold water

  • Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional but delicious)

Preparation:

  1. Preheat & prepare pan
    Heat oven to 200 °C (390 °F). Line the pan with baking paper.

  2. Whip the batter

    • Beat egg whites to soft peaks.

    • Add sugar gradually, then yolks, beating until light.

    • Pour in oil, yogurt, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest; mix briefly.

    • Sift in flour and baking powder; fold with a spatula until just combined.

  3. Bake the base
    Spread half the batter in the pan. Bake 8–10 min until the surface sets but stays pale.

  4. Make the filling
    While the base bakes, simmer cherries with sugar for 5 min. Stir pudding powder (or cornstarch) into cold water, drizzle into cherries, and cook 1 min until the sauce thickens.

  5. Assemble
    Spoon hot cherry filling over the warm base. Dollop or drizzle the rest of the batter on top and gently level.

  6. Final bake
    Return to oven for 20–25 min until the top is golden and a skewer inserted through the upper layer comes out clean.

  7. Cool & serve
    Let the pie cool completely, then dust with icing sugar or pour a thin chocolate glaze. Slice into neat bars and enjoy with Turkish coffee.

Tiny tips

  • Swap ¼ cup flour for fine semolina for a crumbly, biscuit-like bite.

  • If using fresh cherries, toss them with 1 Tbsp cornstarch before cooking to keep the filling set.

  • The pie freezes beautifully—stack slices with baking paper between, wrap, and store up to three months.

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