Banitsa is that crispy bakery you need when you crave a homemade snack on a hot Saturday. A mixer of yogurt, cottage cheese, white cheese, eggs and flour coated in butter and olive oil and wrapped in phyllo dough.
The baking result is aromatic, savory and flavorful you can’t resist.
Table of Contents
Background and Origin
Banitsa originates from Bulgaria but has roots in Turkey where it’s traditionally called börek. The pastry is also popular in Middle Eastern recipes and around the world.
Many people enjoy banitsa as breakfast or lunch.
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How to Make Bulgarian Banitsa
Key Ingredients
- 100g flour: an excellent source of carbohydrates that provide energy for our body. It also has vitamin B and iron.
- 1 tsp baking soda: may help improve workout performance and treat heartburn.
- 200g yogurt: may help to balance the digestive system and help weight loss. It also lowers cholesterol and beautifies the skin.
- 200g izvara (cottage cheese): one portion of cottage cheese contributes to a balanced diet, and weight management, stimulates gut health and controls blood pressure.
- 100ml olive oil: a drop of olive oil in your diet helps prevent diabetes, promotes brain health and helps prevent hypertension.
- Half a teacup of butter, melted: reduces the risk of heart attack and contains healthy saturated fats. Butter is rich in vitamins A, E, D and K2.
- 7 to 10 phyllo dough (filo): contains saturated fat, protein and low calories with essential minerals.
- 4 Eggs: have a complete source of protein, supporting heart health and healthy eyes.
- 300g Sirene (white cheese): improves bone and dental health. It also enhances the immune system.
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Instructions
- Break the eggs into a big bowl and mix with a fork until fluffy or foamy. Add the yohurt and mix.
- Mix the flour and baking powder and transfer them into the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly.
- Add the cottage cheese and continue to mix well with the fork. Scoop in the white cheese and mix gently.
- Mix the olive oil and the melted butter. Scoop out a tablespoon into the baking pan and spread it evenly.
- Open the phyllo dough, spread one tablespoon of the olive and butter oil on one side and fold it. Spread two tablespoons of the egg mixture into the phyllo dough. Wrap it rectangularly then round it and put it in the pan.
- Repeat step 5, forming a ring of phyllo dough round in the pan, ensuring they are not too tight.
- Spread a tablespoon of the oil mixture onto the banitsa.
- Set it to 18 degrees Celsius and put the banitsa on the bottom rack of the oven.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until it turns yellow-golden.
- When baked, take the banitsa from the oven and cover it with a clean cloth AND aluminium foil for 15 minutes. This ensures it tastes crunchy and better.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Baking Banitsa
- There’s no need to preheat the oven
- You can choose not to add the baking flour. However, a little baking flour as used in this recipe will hold the egg mixture together and not wet the phyllo dough.
- You can serve the pastry cold, warm, or hot, but always cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes after baking.
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Conclusion
Banitsa is simple to bake. The ingredients are accessible and available in your kitchen or local store. Remember, mix the melted butter and olive oil and use the same to brush the filo dough before scooping on the mixed egg mixture.
Happy baking!
Hey, Sedi here, a content writer.
Subjects that interest her greatly are how people, lifestyle, relationships, God, technology, and communication interact, empowering and spreading positive messages. She’s an avid reader and a student of personal weekly workouts.
She holds a master’s degree in media and digital communication management.
When she’s not writing or promoting brands digitally, Sedi is busy advocating for plastic-free earth with her local NGO.
