Bulgarian banitza with quail eggs
Bulgarian Cheese Pie a.k.a. Banitza
This delightful pie features a rich filling of cheese and optionally spinach, wrapped in crispy handmade phyllo pastry. It’s a perfect dish for snacks or celebrations.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Needed Ingredients:
6 sheets of phyllo pastry (In Bulgarian we have whole grain phyllo pastry and I prefer it)
12 quail eggs (you can use 4 regular eggs instead)
350 g Bulgarian feta cheese, crumbled
60 g butter and 3 tablespoons oil
(optional) 250 g spinach, washed, drained, and chopped
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
In a bowl, crumble the feta cheese and mix it with the eggs.
(optional) In a pan, sauté the chopped spinach with 1 tablespoon of butter and a little oil until softened and any liquid has evaporated.
(optional) Add the sautéed spinach to the remaining cheese and egg mixture, stir to combine.
Melt the remaining butter in a small pot, then mix it with the oil.
Line a baking tray (29 cm in diameter and 5 cm high) with parchment paper and grease it with oil.
Take the first phyllo sheet, brush it with the oil mixture, and spread 1/6 of the cheese and egg mixture over it. Roll it up, and curl it into a flower shape and place it in the prepared tray.
Repeat the process with the rest of the phyllo sheets in the same manner.
Brush the top with the remaining oil mixture and place the banitza in the preheated oven.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Once baked, allow the pie to cool slightly before slicing into pieces.
Serve the pie with a refreshing glass of your favorite beverage, such as traditional “ayran“ or "boza."
Enjoy! 😋
