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Professional overhead food photography of a Croatian Soparnik savory flatbread pie on a rustic wooden cutting board. The rectangular pie has a golden-brown, slightly blistered crust with visible char marks and an oily sheen, sprinkled with fresh green herbs. The pie is cut into four portions, with one slice pulled away to reveal the cross-section of the hearty filling—layers of dark green wilted spinach, creamy white beans, orange carrots, and red bell peppers visible inside. The hand-rolled whole wheat crust has a thick, rustic edge forming a border around the filling. Surrounding the cutting board on a light cream linen tablecloth are styling elements: fresh spinach leaves scattered to the left and bottom, a halved lemon and lemon half on the right, a small ceramic bowl of olive oil with herb sprigs in the top right corner, whole garlic cloves near the bottom left, a small bowl of white beans in the bottom left, and a vintage kitchen knife resting on the right side of the board. Natural window lighting from the left creates warm highlights on the golden crust and soft shadows. The composition is shot from directly above at 90 degrees, emphasizing the rustic Mediterranean aesthetic with earthy tones of golden brown, deep green, cream, and orange.
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Dalmatian Soparnik

This rustic Croatian flatbread pie wraps a hearty filling of garlicky spinach, creamy white beans, and smoky tofu between two thin layers of hand-rolled olive oil dough, then gets brushed with herb-infused garlic oil for an irresistibly golden, aromatic finish. A 15th-century Dalmatian farmer's meal elevated into a protein-packed plant-based dinner that tastes like you spent way more than 45 minutes on it.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Croatian
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6
Author Perplexity Deep Research

Equipment

  • Oven with convection
  • Baking sheet
  • Baking paper
  • Rolling Pin
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Large pan or braising pan (with lid)
  • cutting board
  • Japanese kitchen knife (or chef's knife)
  • garlic press
  • Grater (for carrots)
  • kitchen scale
  • Measuring cup
  • Potato peeler
  • Wooden spoon
  • Colander
  • Basting brush

Ingredients

Dough

  • 500 g wheat flour plus extra for dusting
  • 250 ml warm water
  • 60 ml (4 tbsp) olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Filling

  • 500 g fresh spinach substitute for Swiss chard
  • 1 can (400g) large white beans drained and rinsed (~240g drained weight)
  • 200 g smoked tofu crumbled into small pieces
  • 2 medium onions (~300g total) finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic (~16g) minced
  • 300 g potatoes peeled and cut into 5mm cubes
  • 2 medium carrots (~200g) coarsely grated
  • 1 large bell pepper (~200g) cut into small dice
  • 40 g sunflower seeds
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Garlic-Herb Oil Finish

  • 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the dough (10 minutes + 15 minutes resting)

  • Combine 500g wheat flour and 1 tsp salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center.
  • Pour in 250ml warm water, 60ml olive oil, and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar.
  • Mix with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 4–5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Divide the dough into two pieces — one slightly larger than the other (about 55/45 split). The larger piece will be the bottom crust.
  • Shape each into a ball, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling (20 minutes)

  • Prep the vegetables: Peel and dice the potatoes into 5mm cubes. Peel and coarsely grate the carrots. Dice the bell pepper into small pieces (~1cm). Finely dice the onions. Mince or press the garlic. Crumble the smoked tofu into small, rough pieces by hand.
  • Wilt the spinach: Wash the spinach and place it in a large pan with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until fully wilted. Transfer to a colander and press out as much liquid as possible using the back of a wooden spoon. Roughly chop and set aside.
  • Cook the base: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the same large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the vegetables: Add the diced potatoes, grated carrots, and diced bell pepper. Stir in the smoked paprika, sweet paprika, oregano, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes just begin to soften.
  • Combine everything: Remove the pan from heat. Fold in the wilted spinach, drained white beans, crumbled smoked tofu, sunflower seeds, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let the filling cool for a few minutes.

Assemble and bake (5 minutes assembly + 35 minutes baking)

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (convection/fan) or 220°C (top and bottom heat).
  • Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  • Roll out the larger dough ball on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle or oval (~40×30cm), about 3mm thick. Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.
  • Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving about a 2cm border on all sides.
  • Roll out the smaller dough ball to roughly the same shape as the base.
  • Place the top dough over the filling. Fold and press the edges of the bottom dough over the top dough to seal. Use a fork to press the edges firmly together.
  • Prick the top of the pie in several places with a fork to allow steam to escape.
  • Bake for 30–35 minutes until the crust is golden brown and firm.

Finish with garlic-herb oil

  • While the pie bakes, prepare the garlic oil: combine 2 tbsp olive oil with 2 finely minced garlic cloves, ½ tsp dried oregano, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
  • As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, brush the entire top generously with the garlic-herb oil using a basting brush.
  • Let the pie rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
  • Cut into 6 generous rectangular portions using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.
  • Serve with a simple side salad of fresh lettuce, cucumber, and tomato dressed with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.
  • A dollop of vegan sour cream on the side pairs beautifully with the smoky, herby filling.
  • Pair with a crisp Riesling or a refreshing cucumber-lemon spritzer.
  • Freezing & Reheating: Cut into portions, wrap individually, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat: place a frozen slice on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Defrost at 30% power for 3–4 minutes, then heat on full power for 1.5–2 minutes. Let rest 1 minute before eating — the filling is hot.
 
Flour Options
100% Whole Wheat Flour (500g)
  • Add 2-3 tablespoons extra water to the dough (total: ~280ml instead of 250ml)
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes after kneading (instead of the standard 15 minutes)
  • Don't overknead—3-4 minutes is enough
  • Result: Nuttier flavor, denser texture, maximum nutritional value
50/50 Mix (250g whole wheat + 250g white flour)
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons extra water to the dough (total: ~265ml instead of 250ml)
  • Let the dough rest for 20-25 minutes after kneading
  • Result: Best of both worlds—easier to roll thin, lighter texture, still healthier than white flour alone
Pro tip: For either option, if the dough cracks while rolling, cover it with a damp towel and let it rest for another 5-10 minutes before trying again.
 
Allergens:
  • Cereals containing gluten (wheat)
  • Soybeans and products thereof (smoked tofu)
 
Emission Hotspots:
  • Smoked tofu requires processing that doubles the footprint compared to plain tofu.
  • Shop to home transportation, if a combustion car is used
 
Sustainability tips:
  • Leftover dough scraps. If you have dough trimmings after shaping the pie, brush them with garlic oil, sprinkle with salt and oregano, and bake them into crispy flatbread chips — a zero-waste snack.
  • Label and date your frozen portions. Use the FIFO (First In, First Out) method to make sure older portions get eaten first.
  • Choose frozen spinach over fresh. Frozen spinach is flash-frozen at harvest, reducing spoilage waste by up to 30% compared to fresh spinach that wilts quickly. It also works perfectly in this filling since the spinach gets cooked down anyway.
  • Skip preheating. Put the assembled pie into the cold oven and add 5 minutes to the baking time. This saves the energy used during the preheat phase.
  • Turn off the oven 5 minutes early. The residual heat is more than enough to finish baking the crust — a classic trick that saves energy without affecting the result.
  • Walk or bike to the supermarket and farmer's market to cut transportation emissions
  • Guinea pigs 🐹  will love any leftover fresh spinach, carrots, carrot greens and bell pepper