Leek Banitsa
A coiled filo banitsa filled with leeks softened in butter, sirene and eggs — the winter variation on the Bulgarian classic, sweeter and softer than the plain cheese version.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 600 g leeks, thinly sliced
- 100 g butter
- 60 ml sunflower oil
- 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200 g Bulgarian yoghurt
- 3 eggs
- 300 g Bulgarian sirene, crumbled
- 0.5 tsp black pepper, ground
- 500 g filo pastry sheets
Nutrition (estimated)
medium confidenceRecipe total: 2791 kcal · P 40.9g · C 136.5g · F 161.5g
Estimated from 9 of 9 ingredients
Approximate estimate, calculated from the ingredients.
Steps
Steps
- 1Wash the sliced leeks well and soften them in half the butter over medium-low heat for 12–15 minutes, until they collapse and the liquid has gone. Leave to cool completely.
- 2Heat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Melt the remaining butter with the oil.
- 3Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the yoghurt and leave it to foam for a minute, then beat in two of the eggs, the sirene, the pepper and the cooled leeks.
- 4Lay one filo sheet on the work surface, brush it with the butter mixture, cover with a second sheet and brush again.
- 5Spread a line of filling along one long edge and roll up loosely into a long tube.
- 6Coil the tubes into a greased round tin about 30 cm across, starting from the centre and joining each to the end of the last. Repeat until the sheets and filling are used up.
- 7Beat the last egg with any remaining butter mixture and brush it over the top.
- 8Bake for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Cover with a clean towel for 10 minutes before cutting, so the top softens slightly.
More recipes like this
Questions and answers
How long does Leek Banitsa take to make?
About 95 minutes: 35 min prep and 60 min cooking.
What ingredients do you need for Leek Banitsa?
9 ingredients: leeks, butter, sunflower oil, bicarbonate of soda, Bulgarian yoghurt, eggs, Bulgarian sirene, black pepper, filo pastry sheets.
How many servings does this Leek Banitsa recipe make?
8 servings. The servings buttons above the ingredients rescale every amount.
How many calories are in a serving of Leek Banitsa?
About 349 kcal, with 5.1 g protein, 17.1 g carbohydrate and 20.2 g fat. This is an estimate from the ingredients, not a lab analysis.
Which diets does this Leek Banitsa recipe suit?
It is vegetarian.
What cuisine is Leek Banitsa?
Leek Banitsa comes from Bulgarian cuisine.
Sign in to rate this recipe.