Serbian Layered Cheese Pie (Print out)

A savory Balkan pastry with crusty phyllo and a rich cheese filling of cottage and feta.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese Filling

01 - 10.5 oz cottage cheese
02 - 7 oz feta cheese, crumbled
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 3.4 fl oz plain yogurt
05 - 1.7 fl oz sunflower oil
06 - 1.7 fl oz sparkling water
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Pastry

09 - 17.5 oz phyllo dough (approximately 12 sheets), thawed

→ Topping

10 - 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
11 - 1 egg yolk (optional, for glazing)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with sunflower oil.
02 - In a large bowl, thoroughly mix cottage cheese, crumbled feta, eggs, yogurt, sunflower oil, sparkling water, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
03 - Place one sheet of phyllo dough into the baking dish and brush lightly with sunflower oil. Repeat this process with two additional sheets, brushing each with oil.
04 - Evenly spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cheese mixture over the layered phyllo sheets.
05 - Alternate layering 2 to 3 phyllo sheets brushed with oil and spreading cheese filling between every few layers until all the filling and phyllo are used. Finish with two layers of phyllo on top.
06 - Brush the final phyllo layer generously with sunflower oil. Optionally, beat the egg yolk and brush it over the top for a golden glaze.
07 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled layers into squares or diamond shapes before baking.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.
09 - Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's crispy on the outside, creamy and cheese-rich on the inside, like two completely different textures saying hello in the best way possible.
  • You can make it ahead and reheat it, so you'll actually have time to sit down and enjoy people instead of frantically cooking.
  • One pie feeds a crowd, making you look far more prepared than you actually are.
02 -
  • Phyllo dries out fast, so keep unused sheets under a barely damp towel—too wet and they'll stick, too dry and they'll crack and crumble as you layer them.
  • Don't skimp on the oil brushing between layers; that's literally what creates the crispy, shattered texture that makes people close their eyes when they bite into it.
  • The sparkling water isn't just a quirk—it aerates the filling and makes it lighter, which is why homemade gibanica tastes different from dense commercial versions.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is warm and phyllo keeps cracking as you work, chill the sheets in the fridge between layers—sounds fussy but it actually saves frustration.
  • A tablespoon of sour cream mixed into the filling adds a complexity that makes people pause mid-bite and ask what you did differently.
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