Banitsa with Homemade Phyllo
A festive Bulgarian banitsa for Cheesefare Sunday (Sirni Zagovezni) made with homemade phyllo. My mother always kneaded ritual bread and banitsa for the holidays; I carry on the traditions and pass them to my children.
Ingredients
| 350 мл | lukewarm water |
| 10 гр | fresh yeast |
| 1/2 ч.л | sugar |
| 1 ч.л | salt |
| 6-7 капки | vinegar (it gives the dough elasticity) |
| около 600 гр | flour + 50 g for rolling out |
| — | oil for brushing during the first rolling |
| около 350-400 гр | cheese (for the filling) |
| около 60-70 гр | butter, melted (for the filling) |
| 3 | eggs (for the topping) |
| 200 мл | fresh milk (for the topping) |
| 1 с.л | sugar (for the topping) |
Instructions
- In a suitable bowl or jug, mix the yeast, sugar and one teaspoon of flour with the lukewarm water, stirring until dissolved. Leave for 10 minutes to rise and foam.
- Then add the salt, vinegar and sifted flour in parts, until a sticky dough forms; add more flour and knead until it stops sticking and becomes smooth and elastic. This takes about 10 minutes and the resulting dough is medium-soft.
- Divide the dough into 5 balls, each weighing about 190 g. Roll each ball into a circle roughly 25 cm in diameter. Brush them with oil and fold into an envelope (as you can see in the step-by-step photos). Cover with a towel and leave for about 30 minutes to rise.
- Roll the risen envelopes out again into a circle roughly 25 cm in diameter. Brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with the crumbled cheese. Roll up into a roll and twist like a rope, at the same time stretching them to become a little longer.
- Arrange them in a 30 cm oiled pan in a spiral shape. Leave a little space between them so they can puff up better. Leave the pita for 20 minutes in a warm place, covered with a towel.
- Meanwhile beat the eggs for the topping with the sugar and add the milk. Pour the mixture over the pita and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 45 minutes.
- Once taken out of the oven, cover it with a towel and leave for 10 minutes before breaking it apart. The pita is wonderful and well worth trying and having on the festive table. TRY IT AND SHARE. ENJOY.