Being raised in a family with 10 children, her mother would make large quantities of plăcinte, but these were always polished off on the same day.

3. Lay the thawed phyllo sheets on the counter. While you are working, cover the sheets with a clean, lightly damp dish towel. Gently remove 1 sheet from the stack and place it on the counter.

To make them, a simple yeasted dough, often slightly sweetened, is rolled, filled and folded into a packet before it’s baked on a stone or pan-fried on a skillet or griddle.