Banitsa
Filo pastry coiled around a sirene cheese, egg, and yogurt custard — Bulgaria's daily and ritual pastry, traditionally baked with small paper-wrapped fortunes hidden inside for New Year's.
Vegetarian
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Egg, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 1 lb filo pastry sheets
- 1 lb sirene (Bulgarian brined white cheese), crumbled
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sparkling water (optional, for lightness)
Steps
- Whisk the eggs, yogurt, and sparkling water together, then stir in the crumbled sirene.
- Brush a sheet of filo with melted butter, spoon a line of the cheese mixture along one edge, and roll loosely into a rope.
- Coil the rope into a spiral in a greased round baking pan, continuing with more filo sheets and filling until the pan is full.
- Brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
- Let cool slightly before slicing and serving warm.