Yeah, the name’s a little odd. I know. First time I heard about placenta as a dessert, I thought—surely not. But it turns out, it’s one of the most comforting, rich, and honestly impressive dishes I’ve ever pulled out of the oven.
Old Roman and Greek roots, layers of pastry and cheese, warm honey all over the top… it’s got that wow factor, but still feels kinda rustic.
It’s not your usual sweet, but somehow it works. It really works.
What It Actually Is (And Why You Shouldn’t Let the Name Scare You Off)
So this dish goes way back. Like, emperors and philosophers-back. They made it with simple stuff—cheese, flour, honey, olive oil—and turned it into something way more elegant than you’d expect.
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No sugar overload, no artificial anything. Just bold flavor and soft, chewy texture, with those crispy edges that make you stop mid-bite and go wait, wow.
Feels kinda like a cross between a layered pie and a lasagna, but sweeter. Not sugary-sweet. More like honey-sweet, balanced by the salty feta.
I didn’t think I’d love it, but now it’s one of those recipes I keep coming back to when I want to cook something that feels special.
Getting to Know Tracta—The Dough That Holds It All Together
Here’s the thing that makes placenta so unique: the dough. It’s called tracta—just a simple flatbread dough that you roll out super thin, dry a little, and layer like crazy. It’s not phyllo.
And not puff pastry either. It’s its own thing.
You want it thin but not fragile. Like, thinner than a tortilla but not quite see-through. I roll it out, leave it to dry just a bit while I get the filling ready. That way it doesn’t turn mushy when it bakes.
Might sound like a lot of work, but honestly? Once you’ve done it once or twice, it just becomes part of the flow.
Feta & Honey: Sounds Weird, Tastes Amazing
This combo right here is what makes the whole dish sing. The salty tang from the feta, that warm floral sweetness from the honey… they play off each other like nothing else.
Use the good stuff if you can—real feta, full-fat, not the dry kind. And don’t be afraid to rinse it a bit if it’s too salty. Press out the extra water too.
Then start adding honey—just a little at first—till it tastes how you want. Some people like it sweeter, I go for balanced.
And when it’s baked? Heat up some honey and pour it right over the top while it’s still warm. The smell alone’s worth it.
Building It Like a Pie (But Way More Fun)
You start with a baking dish—ceramic’s best, holds heat nice. Brush some olive oil in there and line it with bay leaves.
That gives the whole thing a subtle earthy flavor. Then it’s just layers: tracta, filling, tracta, filling, over and over.
Top it off with another sheet of dough, seal it good around the edges so nothing leaks. And in the oven it goes.
I bake it till it’s golden on top and firm in the middle. Then—this part’s hard—you gotta let it rest. Just a bit. If you cut it too soon, it falls apart. Give it 10, 15 minutes. It’ll slice up cleaner, and the flavors settle in too.
You Can Tweak It—And It Still Works
What I love about this recipe is it’s old, but not stuck in time. You can play with it a little and it still holds up.
- Wanna go gluten-free? Use a 1:1 blend for the dough. Works fine.
- Watching sugar? Use less honey or swap in something milder.
- Serving a crowd? Bake it in a bigger dish and cut it into squares.
- Doing a dinner party? Try individual ramekins—fancier, but same idea.
- Got leftovers? Warm it in the oven, not the microwave. Keeps the crust from going soft.
And yeah, it’s vegetarian too. No meat, no problem.
A Dessert That Feels Like a Story
Placenta’s not just some quirky ancient dish—it’s food with soul. You make it, and suddenly you’re not just baking—you’re part of something older.
A recipe passed through time, still good, still worth making.
Sure, the name throws people off. They laugh, they raise eyebrows. But after that first bite, nobody’s making jokes. They’re too busy going back for seconds.
It’s a little messy, a little sweet, and completely unforgettable. Kinda like the best recipes always are.
Placenta Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch ceramic casserole dish with lid (or similar shallow pot)
- Mortar and pestle (or spice grinder)
Ingredients
For the tracta:
- ⅔ cup whole spelt or emmer
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Extra-virgin olive oil for oiling surface and brushing
For the filling:
- 1¾ pounds feta cheese
- ¾ cup honey, plus extra for coating
For the crust:
- ¾ cup water
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 12 to 15 fresh bay leaves coated in extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the tracta base: Grind the spelt or emmer using a mortar until coarse. Place in a bowl, add 1 cup of water, cover, and soak for 24 hours.
- Make the tracta dough: After soaking, combine the grain and remaining water with flour in a bowl to form dough. Add water a tablespoon at a time if needed. Knead until smooth, divide into four parts, rest 20 minutes. Roll into thin 8-inch discs, similar to tortillas. Dry on a baking sheet for 4–6 hours until leather-hard but not brittle.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Make the filling: Break feta into chunks, rinse in water to remove excess salt, then strain and press out liquid. Repeat up to 3 times for very salty cheese. In a clean bowl, press until smooth, add honey, and mix well.
- Make the crust dough: Mix ¾ cup water with flour by hand. Knead for 5 minutes, form into a ball, rest 20 minutes. Roll out into a large, thin disc on an oiled surface.
Assemble and bake the placenta:
- Line bottom of a 9-inch baking dish with oiled bay leaves.
- Place rolled crust dough on top, allowing overhang.
- Brush olive oil on one tracta sheet, place in center of crust.
- Spread ⅓ of filling evenly.
- Repeat with two more layers of tracta and filling.
- Top with final tracta.
- Fold crust over to encase.
- Cover with lid and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.
- Cool slightly, remove from dish, drizzle with honey, and serve warm.
Notes
- If tractas become too brittle after drying, lightly moisten to prevent cracking.
- Use a less salty feta or rinse thoroughly to balance the sweetness of the honey.
- Ideal for culinary history projects, food heritage events, or exploring Mediterranean traditions.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.