Bulgarian flaky phyllo cheese (Printable Version)

Flaky phyllo layers filled with creamy feta and eggs baked to golden perfection, ideal for any meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth. Fold in crumbled feta cheese gently.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover it with a damp towel to keep it from drying out.
04 - Place one phyllo sheet in prepared dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat layering and buttering 3 more sheets.
05 - Spread one-quarter of the cheese-egg mixture evenly over phyllo layers.
06 - Add 3–4 more buttered phyllo sheets, then spread another portion of filling. Repeat until all filling is used, finishing with 3–4 buttered phyllo sheets on top.
07 - Cut assembled banitsa into squares or diamond shapes using a sharp knife.
08 - Pour remaining melted butter evenly over the top.
09 - Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and crisp.
10 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that tastes infinitely better warm, when the phyllo still shatters and the filling is just set enough to be creamy.
  • Once you master the layering, you'll find yourself making it for every occasion because it somehow feels both special and effortless.
  • Your kitchen will smell like butter and golden bread for hours, and that alone is worth the 55 minutes.
02 -
  • The damp towel over phyllo is not optional; I learned this by watching sheets turn to powder in my impatient hands, and now I treat it like a rule written in stone.
  • Buttering each individual layer is what separates banitsa that shatters from banitsa that feels doughy; it's the difference between crispy and disappointing.
03 -
  • Don't skip the 10-minute rest after baking; it gives the filling just enough time to set so each piece holds together instead of collapsing into a beautiful mess.
  • Brush the top layer of phyllo more generously than the inside layers—that top gets all the heat and deserves all the butter it can take.
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