Serbian Meringue Slices (Sampita)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 09/3/17
Kremna rezina Slovenian vanilla and custard dessert, photographed at the Park Hotel, Bled in August 2006.
UkPaolo / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0-migrated
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 90 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
615 Calories
29g Fat
79g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 615
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 261mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 79g 29%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Protein 10g
Calcium 21mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Serbian meringue slices or sampita (SHAHM-pee-tah) is similar to Serbian custard slices or krem pita, except the thin dough layers are filled with sweetened egg whites instead of custard.
This recipe traditionally is made with homemade pastry, but store-bought puff pastry is perfectly acceptable. The trick is in preventing the pastry from puffing up too much.
The Serbian word pita means "pastry dough" and has nothing to do with Middle Eastern flat bread.
Check out these other ways to use leftover egg whites.

Ingredients

  • 1 package/1 pound puff pastry (thawed)
  • 8 large egg whites
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • Garnish: confectioners' sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, sandwich a puff pastry sheet, that has been pierced throughout with a fork, between two cooling racks. This will keep the pastry flat but still flaky. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Repeat with second puff pastry sheet. Let cool completely.

  2. To make the meringue filling: In a medium saucepan, boil sugar and water without stirring until thick and syrupy, about 6-7 minutes. Be careful not to touch the crystalized sugar on the sides of the pan with a mixing spoon and stir it into the syrup because it would make the syrup grainy.

  3. In a stand mixer or heatproof bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and very slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly. After all the sugar syrup has been added, beat for another 5 minutes.

  4. Immediately pour the filling over one of the pastry layers. Place the other pastry layer on top and let it cool completely. Then refrigerate until ready to serve. For easier slicing, use a damp serrated knife. Cut into rectangles. Dust with confectioners' sugar.