Gallery

IMG_1361

Vegetarian Breakfast Featured

Banitsa (Bulgaria)

An authentic recipe for traditional Bulgarian Banitsa, highlighting flaky filo layers and a savory cheese filling.

Level Medium Prep 30 min Cook 40 min Servings 6 Score 4.9/10

Ready in

70 min

Makes 6 servings

Prep 30m

Cook 40m

Level Medium

About this recipe

An authentic recipe for traditional Bulgarian Banitsa, highlighting flaky filo layers and a savory cheese filling.

Bulgaria's most beloved pastry made of spiral-rolled filo dough filled with eggs and tangy sirene cheese.

Ingredients

Servings

Units

Pastry

400 g filo pastry sheets (thawed)

Filling

300 g Bulgarian sirene cheese (or feta cheese, crumbled)
1 cup plain yogurt
4 large eggs (beaten)
100 g unsalted butter (melted)
1 tsp baking soda (dissolved in yogurt)

Equipment

Round baking pan or baking dish For assembling the spiral pastry
Pastry brush For applying melted butter
Large mixing bowl For the filling mixture

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a round baking pan with melted butter.
In a large bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, crumbled sirene cheese, plain yogurt, and the baking soda dissolved in the yogurt.
Lay out two sheets of filo pastry, brush generously with melted butter, and spread a portion of the cheese and yogurt mixture evenly over them.
Roll the filo sheets loosely into a cylinder and place them in the center of the pan in a spiral shape.
Repeat the process with the remaining filo sheets and filling, wrapping each cylinder around the previous one to form a large spiral coil.
Brush the top with any remaining butter and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
40 min

Nutrition

Calories 340

Protein 14g

Carbs 32g

Fat 18g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 3g

Sodium 680mg

Serving Size 1 slice

Cooking Timeline

Prep 30 min

Cook 40 min

Total 70 min

Recipe Scorecard

Overall 9.4 /10

Expert 4.9 95% conf.

Taste 9.7
Presentation 9.2
Nutrition 7.5
Value 9.2
Instructions 9.4
Ingredients 9.5
Time Accuracy 9.0
Difficulty 7.5
Would Make Again 9.0

Expert Review

Reviewed by FindEdition Kitchen

Verdict

A legendary Eastern European comfort food featuring a heavenly contrast of flaky crust and savory, creamy cheese filling.

Pros

Crispy texture
Rich and flavorful
Cultural classic

Cons

Filo pastry requires delicate handling

Overview

Bulgaria's most beloved pastry made of spiral-rolled filo dough filled with eggs and tangy sirene cheese.

AI Insights

Summary

An authentic recipe for traditional Bulgarian Banitsa, highlighting flaky filo layers and a savory cheese filling.

Tips

Keep the filo pastry sheets covered with a damp towel while working so they do not dry out and crack
Sprinkle a few drops of sparkling water over the top just before baking for an extra crispy crust
Let the pastry rest for 10 minutes after baking before slicing