🥐🧀 Banitsa (Bulgarian Cheese Pastry / Börek-style Bake)
Banitsa (also seen in variations like banycski and closely related to Börek) is a flaky, golden baked pastry made with layers of thin dough and a tangy cheese-egg filling. It’s crispy on top, soft inside, and often eaten for breakfast or holidays.
🛒 Ingredients:
🥐 Pastry:
- 1 pack filo dough (yufka or phyllo sheets)
- ½ cup melted butter or oil
🧀 Filling:
- 2 cups feta cheese (or Bulgarian sirene if available)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt (optional, depending on cheese)
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Prepare filling
In a bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, and baking soda.
Crumble in feta and mix well.
It should be thick but pourable.
2. Layer pastry
Grease a baking dish.
Lay one sheet of filo, brush lightly with butter/oil.
Repeat layering several sheets.
3. Add filling
Spread some cheese mixture over layers.
Continue layering:
- Filo sheet
- Butter
- Filling
Repeat until ingredients are used, finishing with filo on top.
4. Cut before baking
Score into squares or diamonds so it bakes evenly.
5. Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35–45 minutes, until:
- Deep golden brown
- Crisp and puffed
6. Rest & serve
Let cool slightly before slicing—this helps it set.
🍽️ Serve with:
- Plain yogurt 🥛
- Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes 🥒🍅
- Tea or coffee ☕
🔥 Flavor profile:
- 🧀 Tangy, salty cheese filling
- 🥐 Crisp, flaky golden layers
- 🥚 Soft, custardy interior
- 🧈 Rich buttery aroma
🔄 Variations:
- 🌿 Spinach and feta banitsa
- 🥔 Potato filling version
- 🍯 Sweet banitsa (with sugar, milk, and vanilla)
- 🧄 Garlic herb savory twist
- 🧀 Extra cheesy layered bake
💡 Tips:
- Keep filo covered to prevent drying
- Don’t oversaturate layers—light brushing keeps crispness
- Scoring before baking helps clean slices
- Tastes even better slightly warm