Bulgarian Banitsa with Feta (Printable)

Flaky phyllo layers with creamy feta and egg filling, baked crisp and golden for a savory treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 14 oz feta cheese, crumbled
02 - 1 cup plain yogurt
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 3 1/2 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:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes impossibly fancy but actually comes together faster than you'd think, leaving you with that smug satisfaction of homemade pastry.
  • The combination of crispy phyllo and creamy filling is genuinely addictive—you'll make it twice before the month is done.
02 -
  • Cutting after baking turns into a disaster of crumbling phyllo—score when it's cool and you'll get clean, crispy pieces.
  • A damp towel is non-negotiable; I learned this the hard way with a batch of shattered, unusable phyllo.
03 -
  • Melt your butter and keep it warm; cold butter won't brush evenly and you'll end up with dry spots and soggy spots.
  • If your phyllo tears, don't panic—butter covers the mistake, and no one will know once it's golden and crispy.
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