Mřížkový koláč (grid pie), also Linecký koláč (Linzer pie) is a soft kind of pie with different fillings.
Mřížkový koláč means “grid pie” and looking at it, one can understand why. The crust of the pie is made from stripes arranged into a grid. It’s traditionally filled with red currant jam or even the fruit, because the combination of the sweet dough and acid fruit is just perfect. However, it can be made with different types of jams or even tvaroh.
The pie is sometimes also called Linecký or “Linzer pie”. This name has become somewhat common although it is incorrect because the real Linzer pie comes from Austria and is made from dough with almonds, the Czech pie is not. However, it is the same type of dough we use for Linecké cukroví, and the name refers to this type of Christmas cookies.
The grid pie is usually baked in rectangular baking trays in the Czech Republic but you can use and shape of pan or tray you want.
Mřížkový koláč – Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 500 g/17.6 oz of fine or semi-coarse flour (see Czech Flour Guide)
- 160 g/5.6 oz of caster sugar
- 1 tbsp of baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 130 g/4.6 oz of unsalted butter
- 6 tbsp of milk
- pinch of salt
Filling
- 500 g/17.6 oz of red currant jam or fruit
Other
- egg yolk + 1 tbsp of milk to glaze
- butter and flour to coat the baking tray
How to make Mřížkový koláč
Cover the baking pan with butter and flour well so that the dough doesn’t stick to the pan while baking.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix in eggs and butter and combine well. The dough will be very crumbly at first, knead with your hands to help the dough come together. After a while, add one tablespoon of milk and incorporate well. Continue adding milk one spoon at a time until the dough holds together. The reason we don’t add the milk all at once is because we don’t want the dough to be too sticky.
Split the dough in half and set one half aside.
Place the other half between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out to about 0,5 cm/0.2 in and as close to the shape of your pan as possible.
Transfer the dough to the baking tray. I usually just flip it in the tray overt paper up and carefully peel off the paper. The dough should cover the bottom and about 2 cm/0.8 in of the sides. Use your fingers to extend the dough a little where it’s missing or cut off any excess dough.
Fill the dough with jam or fruits until just under the edge.
Roll out the other half of the dough and cut it into equally wide stripes (about 1,5 cm/0.6 in).
You’ll be laying them diagonally and at least one or two them should be as long as the distance between the corners of your pan.
Lay the stripes on the jam in one direction, from side to side.
Lay another layer of stripes in the opposite diagonal direction.
Mix egg yolk with a little milk and glaze the crust of the pie.
Preheat your oven to 180°C/356°F and bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden.
