Plăcintă
A genuinely shared Moldovan and Romanian filled flatbread, its name tracing back through Latin 'placenta' (cake) to Greek 'plakous' (flat cake), pointing toward Roman-era flatbread roots in the Latin-influenced Balkan-Carpathian region. From that shared core the dish spread further into Bessarabia and the Odessa region. Traditional Moldovan dough is hand-stretched paper-thin, closer in spirit to strudel or phyllo technique, rather than rolled thick — a real technique most home cooks skip. Brânză cheese is the most iconic filling, though potato, cabbage, and pumpkin versions are equally traditional depending on the season.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Egg, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 500g flour
- 1 egg
- 250ml warm water
- 1 tbsp oil
- A pinch of salt
- 400g brânză or farmer's cheese (or a mild feta and cottage cheese blend)
- 1 egg (for filling)
- A little sugar (optional)
- Butter, for brushing
Steps
- Make a smooth, soft dough from the flour, egg, water, oil, and salt. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
- Divide into balls and stretch each very thin by hand into large rounds.
- Mix the cheese with the egg and a little sugar if using.
- Spread the filling over the dough, fold the edges in to enclose, then flatten gently into a round.
- Cook on a hot dry or lightly oiled skillet for a few minutes per side until golden, brushing with butter between flips.