This Week's Recipe: Banista

Why Banista?

I love salty crumbly feta, I love greek creamy yogurt, I love flaky buttery pastry and above all I love trying and cooking something new.

Banista is a Bulgarian dish that ticks all the above. It is a traditional dish made up of rolled up filo pastry filled with beaten eggs, feta and yoghurt. These are layered in a spiral pattern in a large round baking tin and cooked.

Serve Banista for any meal as it is done in Bulgaria.

Ingredients

4 eggs, beaten
½ teaspoon baking soda
500g Greek style yogurt (or Bulgarian if you can find it)
250g feta cheese
100g butter, melted
10 -12 sheets filo pastry
200g milk

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Beat the eggs and baking soda, then add the crumbed feta and yoghurt. Season and set aside.

Lightly brush a 30cm round deep pizza pan or cake tin wit butter.

Take one sheet and lightly brush with butter. Spread a thin layer of feta filling over the filo pastry and roll up into a rope like shape. Make sure not to over fill otherwise the filo will crack.

Roll the the filo rope into a spiral and place in the centre of the buttered pizza tin. Repeat with remaining filo pastry and continue to form the spiral.

Pour over the milk and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.

Serve warm or cold for breakfast lunch and dinner.

Serves 8-12.

Bon Appetite