Cooking with Toti
cookingwithtoti.com/recipes/bulgarian-cheese-banitsa
Bulgarian Cheese Banitsa
A timeless Bulgarian classic — hand-stretched dough, feta, and my favorite Dutch oven method.
Serves
8–10
Time
3 hrs
Homemade banitsa with hand-stretched dough coiled into one big spiral and baked until deeply golden. My favorite way to bake it is in a Dutch oven, and it's traditionally served warm with plain Bulgarian yogurt.
Instructions
Activate the Yeast
- 1
Combine the lukewarm water and milk in a large measuring cup or deep bowl.
- 2
Add the fresh yeast, honey (or sugar), and oil.
- 3
Stir gently and let sit 10–15 minutes, until foamy and active.
Make the Dough
- 1
Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix in the salt.
- 2
Pour in the activated yeast mixture, add the egg, and mix until a soft dough forms.
- 3
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- 4
Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
Prepare for Stretching
- 1
Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 7 equal pieces.
- 2
Shape each piece into a smooth ball, then flatten into a small disc.
- 3
Spread the top of each disc with a thin layer of softened butter and stack them.
- 4
Let the stacked discs rest for 10 minutes while you crumble the feta and shred the mozzarella.
Stretch, Fill & Roll
- 1
Working one disc at a time, gently stretch the dough into a very thin sheet with your hands. Small tears are completely normal.
- 2
Sprinkle with the crumbled feta, the mozzarella, or both.
- 3
Roll the dough into a long rope.
- 4
Starting in the center of your baking dish or Dutch oven, coil the rope into a spiral.
- 5
Repeat with the remaining pieces until one large spiral is formed.
Brush & Bake
- 1
Whisk together the egg and milk and brush the entire banitsa generously.
- 2
Bake at 360°F (182°C).
- 3
Toward the end, reduce to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking until golden brown and fully baked.
Toti’s Tips
- ✓Generously butter the bottom and sides of your Dutch oven before placing the spiral inside.
- ✓If your Dutch oven isn't deep, bake with the lid on 15–20 minutes, then remove it so the banitsa doesn't stick.
- ✓With a regular baking dish, line it with parchment so the banitsa lifts out easily.
- ✓Use softened, room-temperature butter — it helps the dough stretch thin.
- ✓Best enjoyed warm, traditionally with plain Bulgarian yogurt (kiselo mlyako).
More photos
Get my free e-book — 7 quick & easy dinners + 3 sweet bonus desserts
The weeknight dinners my kids actually ask for seconds of, plus the sweet treats — with photos from my own kitchen.
Free PDF · Unsubscribe anytime
