Breakfast
Banitsa
Ingredients
- - 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) filo pastry sheets
- - 400 g (14 oz) sirene or crumbled feta cheese
- - 4 large eggs
- - 250 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt
- - 150 ml (2/3 cup) sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- - 1 tsp baking soda
- - 1/2 tsp salt
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and oil a round baking tray.
- Whisk eggs, yogurt, oil, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
- Crumble the sirene cheese into the egg mixture and stir to combine loosely (don't overmix).
- Lay a filo sheet in the tray, scrunch loosely, dab with the egg mixture, and repeat, layering sheets in a spiral or folded pattern until all filo and filling are used.
- Pour any remaining egg mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until deep golden and crisp on top.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing into squares or wedges.
Introduction: Banitsa is Bulgaria's most iconic breakfast dish, a layered pastry of thin filo sheets wrapped around a whisked mixture of eggs and sirene (Bulgarian white brined cheese).
Cultural Background: Banitsa is Bulgaria's most iconic breakfast dish, a layered pastry of thin filo sheets wrapped around a whisked mixture of eggs and sirene (Bulgarian white brined cheese). It appears on breakfast tables daily and at New Year celebrations, when lucky charms or fortune notes are baked inside.
Tips: Keep unused filo covered with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out and crack. A mix of feta and cottage cheese softens the saltiness if sirene isn't available.
Variations: Banitsa sas spanak: add sautéed spinach to the filling. Tikvenik-style sweet version substitutes grated pumpkin and sugar for the cheese. Already vegetarian; for a vegan version substitute plant-based feta and a flax-egg/yogurt blend.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 10 minutes to restore crispness; avoid microwaving as it turns soggy.
Nutrition: Approx. 320 kcal, 14g protein, 20g fat, 22g carbs per serving (based on 8 servings).
FAQs:
Q: Can I make banitsa ahead?
A: Yes, assemble it fully, refrigerate unbaked overnight, and bake fresh the next morning.
Q: Can it be frozen?
A: Yes, freeze baked and cooled banitsa for up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 160°C (320°F) for 20 minutes.