Banitsa

Banitsa (Bulgarian Filo and Cheese Spiral)

A traditional Bulgarian breakfast pastry made by layering filo with whisked eggs and crumbled sirene cheese, then coiled into a spiral and baked until crisp and golden. Often prepared at New Year with a lucky charm tucked inside the layers.

Prep

20 min

Cook

35 min

Total

55 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) filo pastry, about 1 packet; keep covered with a damp cloth while working
• •250 g (9 oz) sirene cheese
• •3 large eggs
• •120 ml (½ cup) plain whole-milk yoghurt
• •baking soda, ½
• •80 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, melted
• •1 tsp fine salt, omit if the cheese is very salty

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly butter a 26 cm (10 inch) round baking dish.
2. 2 In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the salt until smooth. Stir in the yoghurt and baking soda, then fold in the crumbled sirene. The mixture should be creamy but not runny; drain the cheese briefly if it releases liquid.
3. 3 Unroll the filo and stack the sheets. Cover them with a slightly damp clean towel so they don't dry out while you work. Trim each sheet to roughly the length of your pan (about 40 cm) so the coils fit.
4. 4 Brush one sheet of filo all over with melted butter, then spread about 2 heaped tablespoons of the cheese mixture evenly across the sheet, leaving a 2 cm border on the long edges.
5. 5 Roll the sheet up loosely along the long edge to form a cigar-shaped log, then coil it into a spiral in the centre of the buttered dish.
6. 6 Repeat with the remaining sheets, buttering, filling, rolling and coiling each one around the previous spiral until the dish is full and the pastry reaches the edges. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the top.
7. 7 Bake on the middle rack for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and crisp and the filling is set (internal temperature should reach 80°C / 175°F). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
8. 8 Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Banitsa is traditionally eaten warm or at room temperature, often with a glass of boza or ayran and a sprinkle of chopped parsley or crushed tomato.