Soparnik (Poljički Chard Pie) – Traditional Recipe

Soparnik is one of those dishes that quietly tells the story of a place. In this case, that place is Poljica, a historic rural region in central Dalmatia, tucked between Split and Omiš. For centuries, families there have stretched a simple dough of flour, water, salt, and a little olive oil into a thin round, filled it with chard and onion, then baked it on a hot stone under embers on the household hearth, or komin. 

At first glance, soparnik seems almost austere. The filling contains no cheese, meat, or eggs—only Swiss chard (or local blitva), onions, salt, and a measured amount of olive oil. The dough is unleavened and rolled very thin, closer to a covered flatbread than a deep pie. Yet this restraint gives the dish its character. The heat of the oven softens the chard and onion just enough, so that the vegetables steam inside the sealed crust. Once baked, the top is brushed with warm garlic and olive oil, which sinks into the surface and perfumes every slice. 

Historically, soparnik belonged to colder months, when older chard with a sweeter, deeper flavour grew in the fields around Poljica. It often appeared on fasting days and at important gatherings, making it both modest and ceremonial at the same time. Over time, the dish moved from farmhouse hearths to local festivals, markets, and restaurant menus. Today, the traditional method of making Poljički soparnik is listed as intangible cultural heritage in Croatia, and the pie itself carries protected status at the European level.

Despite that official recognition, its soul remains rural. The filling should taste of chard first, with onion and parsley in a supporting role, while olive oil and garlic finish the baked pie rather than dominate every bite. The crust ought to be thin but not brittle, with enough strength to hold the moist filling yet tender enough to tear cleanly when cut into the traditional rhombus-shaped pieces.

This version keeps close to that pattern. The dough follows a classic Poljica ratio of flour to water with a modest amount of olive oil, rolled as thin as a home oven reasonably allows, on a sheet pan instead of a stone hearth. The filling uses plenty of chard, a mix of onion and spring onion for freshness, and a restrained hand with salt so the minerals in the greens still come through. A final brushing of warm garlic oil gives the top its signature aroma and gloss.

From a practical cooking perspective, soparnik suits several situations. It works as a shared starter at the centre of the table, a light main with a simple salad, or a snack that can travel to a picnic. The recipe incidentally fits a vegetarian table and can be adapted for vegan visitors without any changes at all, since the traditional version contains no dairy or eggs. Slices keep reasonably well at room temperature for a few hours, which suits parties and gatherings.

For home cooks, the main task lies in handling a large, thin sheet of dough and spreading the filling evenly so that the crust cooks through while the chard softens. The method described here breaks that task into manageable steps: salting and resting the chard, mixing and resting the dough, rolling each round on baking paper, then assembling and baking on a standard oven tray at a high but controlled heat.

The result is a large, flat pie with a fragrant, lightly blistered top, a soft but not soggy interior, and a clean line of filling when cut. It tastes distinctly of Dalmatian fields, olive oil, and wood-fired traditions, even when baked in an everyday kitchen oven.