Bulgarian Banitsa Flaky Cheese (Printable Version)

Crispy layers of phyllo envelop a rich mixture of feta and egg for a golden, savory pastry.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 14 oz feta cheese, crumbled
02 - 1 cup plain yogurt
03 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
04 - 3.5 tbsp whole milk

→ Eggs

05 - 4 large eggs

→ Pastry

06 - 1 package (14 oz) phyllo dough, thawed

→ Seasoning

07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in the crumbled feta gently.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.
04 - Place one phyllo sheet in the dish, brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat layering and buttering 3 more sheets.
05 - Spread one-quarter of the cheese-egg mixture evenly over the layered phyllo.
06 - Add 3 to 4 more phyllo sheets, butter each, then spread another portion of the filling. Repeat until filling is used, finishing with 3 to 4 buttered phyllo layers on top.
07 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled layers into squares or diamond shapes.
08 - Pour remaining melted butter evenly over the top.
09 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
10 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Best enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of breakfast that makes you feel like you've accomplished something before noon, even though the work is almost meditative.
  • One pan feeds a crowd, and it tastes even better the next day when the layers have time to meld together.
  • You can make it ahead and reheat it, which means less stress when you're feeding people you care about.
02 -
  • The phyllo must stay covered with a damp towel the entire time you're not actively laying it down, or it becomes brittle and useless—I learned this the hard way by wasting an entire package.
  • Don't skimp on the butter between layers; it's what makes banitsa crispy instead of just chewy, and it's also what makes it taste like it's worth the effort.
03 -
  • Buy quality phyllo dough from a bakery section if you can find it—it's thicker than the ultra-thin stuff and more forgiving when you're learning.
  • If your phyllo tears, just patch it with a little butter and another piece; nobody will ever know, and the whole thing bakes into one cohesive golden thing anyway.
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