Phyllo and Cheese Banitsa Draft

Name: Phyllo and Cheese Banitsa
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 24 individual pastries or one 10x12-inch (25x30 cm) pan
Ingredients: 1 package phyllo dough (at room temperature); 7 tbsp butter, melted; 4 large eggs; 2 packages containers plain whole-milk yogurt (4.5% fat); 5 oz Georgian (imeruli) cheese, crumbled; 5 oz Bulgarian feta-style cheese, crumbled; 1 package fresh spinach, steamed and squeezed dry (or 14 oz (400 g) frozen spinach); salt (go easy since the cheeses are salty); freshly ground black pepper

My banitsa, buttered phyllo layered with a batter of eggs, yogurt, salty cheeses and spinach, which I make as individual pastries or in one large pan.

Prep30 min
Cook40 min
Total1 hr 10 min
Makes24 individual pastries or one 10x12-inch (25x30 cm) pan
KashrutDairy

What you need

Amount:24

Pastry

1 package phyllo dough, at room temperature
7 tbsp butter, melted

Filling

4 large eggs
2 packages containers plain whole-milk yogurt (4.5% fat)
5 oz Georgian (imeruli) cheese, crumbled
5 oz Bulgarian feta-style cheese, crumbled
1 package fresh spinach, steamed and squeezed dry, or 14 oz (400 g) frozen spinach
salt, go easy since the cheeses are salty
freshly ground black pepper

How I make it

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the pan with melted butter.
Brush a sheet of phyllo with butter, lay a second sheet on top and brush it too.
For a muffin pan, cut the phyllo into squares and press them into the cups. For a large pan, lay the sheets in whole so the edges hang over the sides.
In a large bowl, mix all the filling ingredients until evenly combined.
Pour in a third of the filling and top with crumpled sheets of phyllo, like paper tossed in the trash. Pour the rest of the filling over the top.
Brush 2 more phyllo sheets with butter, stack them and cover the pastries.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden.

Source: ChefEf (chefef.com)