Bulgarian Banitsa savory pastry (Printable)

Savory flaky pastry layered with feta cheese and eggs, baked until golden and crisp.

# Ingredient list:

→ 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 phyllo dough, thawed (about 14 oz)

→ Seasoning

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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Set the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, milk, salt, and black pepper until smooth, then gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
03 - Unroll the phyllo sheets and keep them covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat this layering and buttering process with 3 additional sheets.
05 - Spread approximately one-quarter of the cheese and egg mixture evenly over the layered phyllo sheets.
06 - Add 3 to 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter, followed by another quarter of the filling. Repeat until all filling is used, finishing with 3 to 4 buttered phyllo layers on top.
07 - With a sharp knife, score the layered banitsa into squares or diamond shapes before baking.
08 - Drizzle any leftover melted butter evenly over the top to ensure a golden crust.
09 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns golden brown and crisp.
10 - Let the pastry cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think, and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The contrast between shattered phyllo and creamy, tangy filling is genuinely addictive.
  • One pan feeds six people without any fuss or fancy technique required.
02 -
  • Phyllo dries out faster than you think; keep it covered every single moment you're not actively placing a sheet in the dish.
  • The filling needs to be thick enough to stay layered, not so thin it turns into soup when baked—that's where the yogurt ratio matters.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking; it lets the structure settle and makes serving so much cleaner.
03 -
  • Make banitsa ahead and reheat it gently in the oven; it actually gets better as it sits and the flavors settle.
  • If you can't find authentic feta, Bulgarian sirene cheese or even ricotta mixed with regular feta will get you close to that creamy-tangy balance.
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