The banitsa It is a Bulgarian cheese cake that is made with phyllo dough and, in its most classic form, has an egg, yogurt and sirene cheese filling. Although it can be prepared with vegetables, meats or even fruits. Its versatility is vast.as well as the fillings that it admits.
I have stuck to the classic formula this time, but in the future I will try to fill it with onion, leek, or peppers. I have used feta cheese instead of sirene cheese, a variety of Bulgarian cheese not easily found outside the country’s borders, and the result has been magnificent. Freshly made, with that crunch that the phyllo dough has, it is a spectacle.
The name can be misleading and make you think that this is a sweet cheesecake, but it is not the case. However, you can fill combine the cheese filling with some type of fruit (very rich with apple compote or quince jam) to provide a special contrast of flavors. I leave it to your liking.
We cover the base of a 20 cm round mold with parchment paper. So that it adapts well to the shape, we wrinkle it with our hands and wet it well under the tap -it will become malleable-. We put it in the mold. We booked.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the Greek yogurt. We remove to integrate well. Next we incorporate the crumbled feta and we work the mixture with a fork to break it into the smallest pieces possible.
Take a sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter. Place another sheet on top and spread a thin layer of the previous mixture over the entire surface. we roll up forming a cylinder and we place it glued to the edge of the mold.
We repeat the operation three more times, placing each cylinder after the previous one and forming a spiral. Brush the surface with egg white (we can also use whole egg or butter).
We bake the cake in the oven, preheated to 180ºC with heat above and below, for 25-30 minutes or until the surface is a nice golden brown. Let rest for a few minutes before unmolding and serving.
Ô Cuisine – Tart Pan, Deep, Grey, 26 cm
With what to accompany the banitsa or Bulgarian cheese cake
To the banitsa or bulgarian cheesecake It goes very well with a light salad as a garnish. With it lunch or dinner are served, you don’t need anything else. It can be served as part of a buffet meal, along with other food. It is ideal to share and enjoy al fresco.
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