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5.0 from 3 votes

Banitsa

Banitsa is a traditional Bulgarian recipe that consists of eggs and cheese between filo pastry sheets formed in a spiral before baking.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 6 people
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Bulgarian

Ingredients

  • 12 heets phyllo dough
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • ½ lb sirene (Bulgarian cheese) or feta, coarsely crumbled
  • ¾ lb Bulgarian yogurt (preferably sheep's milk yogurt)
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • salt
  • pepper
Tools needed
  • 1 (10-inch) springform pan

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Whisk yogurt with 4 whole eggs.
  2. Add cheese, salt and pepper and mix.
  3. Melt the butter.
  4. Take two sheets of phyllo and brush the top sheet with melted butter.
  5. Superimpose a third sheet on the first two and brush the top with butter.
  6. Turn the three sheets over and then brush the non coated side.
  7. Divide ¼ of the yogurt, egg and cheese mixture on top of the filo sheets.
  8. Then roll the whole preparation like a long sausage. Roll lengthwise to get the roll as long as possible.
  9. Repeat this process 3 more times to get 4 long rolls of three superimposed sheets of filo each.
  10. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet (or just circle on baking sheet covered with parchment paper).
  11. Begin by placing the first roll by sticking to the edge of the circle, then add the following forming a snail to the center.
  12. Beat egg yolk with the remaining melted butter and brush the whole banitsa.
  13. Bake at 400F/200C for about 25 minutes.
  14. The banitsa should be golden.
  15. It can be eaten either hot, warm or cold.