Bulgarian Banitsa Phyllo Cheese (Print out)

Flaky phyllo dough layered with feta, eggs, and butter, baked to a golden crisp for a savory treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 (approximately 14 oz), thawed

→ Seasoning

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

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat 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. Fold in crumbled feta cheese gently.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat to layer 4 sheets in total, brushing each with butter.
05 - Spread one-quarter of the cheese and egg mixture evenly over the layered phyllo.
06 - Layer 3 to 4 more phyllo sheets, each brushed with butter, then spread another quarter of the filling. Repeat until all filling is used, finishing with 3 to 4 buttered phyllo sheets on top.
07 - Using a sharp knife, cut the layered pastry into squares or diamond shapes.
08 - Pour any remaining melted butter over the top of the assembled layers.
09 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.
10 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impressive but requires no special skills, just patience and a pastry brush.
  • The contrast between crispy, buttery phyllo and creamy, salty cheese filling is genuinely addictive.
  • It works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or whenever you need something warm and comforting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the damp towel over phyllo—I learned this the hard way when an entire stack crumbled and I had to start over.
  • The filling will seem thin when you spread it, but it transforms into something custardy and perfect as the phyllo absorbs it during baking.
  • Cutting before baking makes all the difference; trying to cut after baking shatters the top layer no matter how careful you are.
03 -
  • Brush phyllo sheets with melted butter, never oil—butter creates that crackling, golden crust that makes banitsa irreplaceable.
  • If your feta is very salty, rinse it quickly under cold water and pat dry before crumbling to avoid an oversalted filling.
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