Lakror is a traditional Albanian flat pie originating from the Korçë region in southeastern Albania. Unlike the more common byrek which uses multiple thin phyllo layers, lakror is characterized by two sheets of rustic rolled dough, one under and one over a generous filling of leeks, sometimes combined with cheese or spinach.
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Lakror (Albanian Flat Pie from Korçë)
Ingredients
Method
- Make the dough: mix flour and salt, add olive oil and warm water. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: wash leeks thoroughly and slice thinly. Heat olive oil in a large pan and cook leeks over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until soft and slightly golden.
- Season the leeks with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Let cool slightly. Mix in crumbled feta if using.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a large round baking pan.
- Divide dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece thin and line the baking pan, leaving edges hanging over.
- Spread the leek filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll out the second piece of dough and place it on top. Fold and crimp the edges together to seal.
- Brush the top with olive oil. Poke a few holes with a fork for steam to escape.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until deep golden brown and crispy.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Notes
Lakror: Korçë’s Two-Sheet Leek Pie
Lakror is a rustic pie from the Korçë region of southeastern Albania, and it is also made in nearby Devoll and Pogradec and around Lake Prespa. In Korçë it is known as lakror me dy petë, lakror with two sheets of dough, and it is traditionally baked under a saç, a domed metal lid covered with hot embers.
Unlike byrek, which is usually built from many thin layers, this lakror has just two sheets of dough. The larger sheet is rolled thin and lines the pan with its edges hanging over, the leek filling is spread on top, and the second sheet covers it before the edges are crimped shut. The result is a crisp, deep golden crust giving way to a soft, sweet leek filling, a simple pie that asks for patience with the leeks more than skill with the dough.
Lakror is a point of local pride in the Korçë area, which holds a Lakror Festival (Festa e Lakrorit) every August or September, according to Albania’s national register of intangible cultural heritage. The Albanian National Tourism Agency calls lakror në saç one of the best loved dishes of neighboring Devoll and a symbol of local hospitality. Fillings change from house to house, and the tourism agency lists spinach, leek, onion, cheese, and pumpkin.
Tips for Making Authentic Lakror
Dough preparation: Use a simple dough of flour, water, salt, and olive oil. Knead until smooth, about 8 minutes, then cover and rest for 30 minutes, the rest relaxes the dough so it rolls out thin without springing back.
Rolling the dough: Work on a large, clean surface (traditional Albanian cooks use a low round table). Divide the dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Roll the larger piece thin enough to line the pan with the edges hanging over, then roll the second piece to fit the top.
Filling options: This Korçë lakror is filled with leeks cooked slowly in olive oil for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and sweet, with optional feta. Spinach, onion, cheese, and pumpkin fillings are also traditional. The filling should be well-drained, excess moisture makes the bottom crust soggy.
Assembly: Line the greased pan with the larger sheet, spread the leek filling evenly, and cover with the second sheet. Fold and crimp the edges to seal, brush the top with olive oil, and poke a few holes with a fork so steam can escape.
Baking: Use a large round pan (traditional Albanian “tepsi”). Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden brown and crispy. Let it cool for 10 minutes before cutting it into wedges.
Variations
Lakror me spinaq: Spinach filling with onions and optional feta cheese, a popular alternative to leeks.
Lakror me qepë: Onion lakror, caramelized onions with tomatoes and peppers create a sweet-savory filling.
Lakror me gjizë: Filled with Albanian cottage cheese (gjizë) mixed with eggs and herbs.
Lakror me mish: A meat version using seasoned ground lamb or beef.
Lakror vs. byrek: The main difference is the build. This lakror has two hand-rolled sheets of dough, one under and one over the filling, while byrek is usually made of many thin layers or store-bought phyllo. Some writers class lakror as a kind of byrek.
Where the Name Lakror Comes From
Lakror takes its name from lakër, the Albanian word for cabbage or leafy vegetable. The Federal Writers’ Project study of Albanians in Massachusetts, The Albanian Struggle in the Old World and New, described lakror as one of the commonest Albanian dishes and compared it to an American pie. The cook rolls the dough thin, lays it in a well-greased tin, and spreads it generously with gjellë, the filling. The writers guessed that cabbage was the original filling, and named leeks, onions, squash and spinach as favorites. Leek is presh in Albanian, which makes the pie in this recipe a lakror me presh.
Some food writers class lakror as a kind of byrek. Our comparison of byrek, börek and burek explains the wider family.
Lakror from Korçë to Basilicata
| Where | What it is like |
|---|---|
| Korçë area | Lakror me dy petë, a lakror made with two sheets of dough and baked under a saç. Albania’s national register of intangible cultural heritage lists the Lakror Festival (Festa e Lakrorit), held with Korçë Municipality in August and September, mainly in villages such as Polenë, Voskopojë and Boboshticë |
| Devoll | The Albanian National Tourism Agency lists lakror në saç as one of the best loved dishes of Devoll: thin dough filled with spinach, leek, onion, cheese or pumpkin, and a symbol of local hospitality |
| Libohovë area, southern Albania | Lakror me hithra, also called jani, which the same agency lists under Libohovë: nettles and wild greens, often with white cheese or gjizë and sometimes eggs |
| Pogradec, and the Bitola and Lake Prespa areas of North Macedonia | Lakror is also baked around Pogradec and Lake Prespa, including by Albanian communities in southwestern North Macedonia |
| Maschito, Basilicata (Arbëreshë) | Lakrùar, a sweet and savory Carnival pie. The recipe published by La Cucina Italiana has cinnamon in the crust and a filling of fresh cheese, chicken, lamb, dried sausage and sugar |
The two-sheet Korçë style matches this recipe: one sheet of dough under the filling and one on top. Our Korçë travel guide covers the city.
Baking Lakror Without a Saç
A saç is a domed metal lid that is set over the pan and covered with hot embers, so the pie bakes from above as well as below. At the Korçë festival, the national heritage register describes the saç being heated in the embers and set on top of the pie while the pan sits over an open fire. A home oven still does a good job at the recipe’s 400°F (200°C), and a few habits help:
- Crisp bottom: put a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone on a lower rack while the oven preheats, then set the pan directly on it.
- Pan: a dark metal round pan, 12 to 14 inches across, browns better than glass or ceramic.
- Dough that springs back: if it shrinks as you roll, cover it and wait 10 more minutes. It rolls thinner once it relaxes.
Buying and Cleaning Leeks
US supermarkets sell leeks with long, dark green tops that you will mostly trim away, so buy more than 1 kg (about 2.2 pounds) to end up with 1 kg cleaned.
Grit hides between the layers. Slice the leeks first, swish the slices in a large bowl of cold water, and lift them out with your hands so the sand stays at the bottom. Drain them well. When you cook them, keep going until the liquid in the pan has evaporated, because a wet filling is the most common cause of a soggy bottom crust. Let the filling cool before it touches the raw dough.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Food Safety
- Make-ahead: the leek filling can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated. The dough can also rest overnight in the refrigerator, wrapped airtight. Bring it back to room temperature before rolling.
- After baking: with or without feta, this is a perishable dish. USDA says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
- How long it keeps: USDA gives 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, and says leftovers should be reheated to 165°F (74°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
How is lakror different from byrek?
Lakror is tied to the Korçë region of southeastern Albania and, in this version, uses just two sheets of hand-rolled dough. Byrek is a broader term used across Albania for various savory pies. A two-sheet lakror is quicker to build than a many-layered byrek, and it is sometimes described as a type of byrek itself.
Can I use phyllo dough instead?
Store-bought phyllo is a reasonable shortcut, though the texture will differ from the hand-rolled dough in the recipe. If using phyllo, brush each sheet generously with olive oil and use 4 to 5 sheets under the filling and 4 to 5 on top.
How do I reheat lakror?
Reheat uncovered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot in the center (165°F, or 74°C, for leftovers). Avoid the microwave, it makes the crust lose its crispness.
What region of Albania is lakror from?
Lakror is tied to the Korçë region of southeastern Albania, along with nearby Devoll and Pogradec and the Bitola and Lake Prespa areas of North Macedonia. The Korçë area holds a Lakror Festival every year.
Related Albanian Recipes
Explore more Albanian pies and layered dishes:
- Pite me Djathë, Albanian cheese pie
- Flija, Layered crepe pie from northern Albania and Kosovo
- Albanian Spinach Byrek, Classic spinach-filled pastry
- Albanian Meat Byrek, Savory meat pastry
- What is Albanian Food?, Complete guide to Albanian cuisine
Sources
- Federal Writers’ Project of the Works Progress Administration of Massachusetts: The Albanian Struggle in the Old World and New (Boston: The Writer, 1939)
- Albanian National Tourism Agency: Lakror në saç
- Albanian National Tourism Agency: Lakror me hithra ose jani
- National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Albania: Festa e lakrorit
- La Cucina Italiana: Dalla Basilicata, il tortino agrodolce di Carnevale
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Leftovers and Food Safety
Author: Dardanë Halimi
Dardanë Halimi is a writer and communications professional with an M.A. in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication from James Madison University. Her work focuses on storytelling, digital content, higher education, and strategic communication, with experience writing for academic, nonprofit, and marketing organizations in both the United States and Kosovo.
