Banitsa (pastry)

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“Banitsa” redirects here. For other uses, see Banitsa (disambiguation).

Banitsa

Banitsa (Bulgarian: баница ['ba.ni.ʦə], also transliterated as banica and banitza) is a traditional Bulgarian pastry prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs and pieces of sirene (white cheese) between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven. Macedonians refer to it as zelnik, maznik, or more loosely as pita.

Traditionally, lucky charms (късмети, kasmeti) are put into the pastry on certain occasions, particularly on Christmas Eve, the first day of Christmas, or New Year's Eve. These charms may be coins or small symbolic objects (e.g., a small piece of a dogwood branch with a bud, symbolizing health or longevity). More recently, people have started writing happy wishes on small pieces of paper and wrapping them in tin foil. Wishes may include happiness, health, or success throughout the new year.

Banitsa is served for breakfast with plain yogurt, ayran, or boza. It can be eaten hot or cold. Some varieties include banitsa with spinach (spanachena banitsa) or the sweet version, banitsa with milk (mlechna banitsa) or pumpkin (tikvenik).

1 Recipes
2 Symbolism
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Recipes

[edit] The leaves

Traditionally, banitsa is made with homemade or commercially made pastry leaves that are prepared from a hard baker's dough of flour, eggs, and water. At home the leaves can be spread by continuously pulling the sheet of dough with one's fingers until it becomes less than a millimeter thin, or by using a rolling-pin in several stages with vegetable oil sprinkled between the partially spread leaves, or by a very difficult technique comprising waving movements of the entire leaf over the head of the cook. Commercially available leaves are mechanically spread and somewhat dried before packing.

Another sort of banitsa is called tutmanik (тутманик) and is made with leavened leaves. The usual filling is cheese.

[edit] The filling

The traditional filling is made of crushed white or cottage cheese, yoghurt, and eggs.

Vegetable fillings include spinach, nettles, leeks, onions, or sauerkraut. The cabbage variant is called zelnik (зелник) and the leek variant is called luchnik (лучник).

In some regions of Bulgaria, a filling with rice is made.

There are also meat fillings with minced meat, onions, and mushrooms.

Sweet fillings with apples (similar to apple pie or strudel) or pumpkin with sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon exist as well. In some regions, only the walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon are used. The apple variant is called shtrudel (щрудел), and the pumpkin variant is tikvenik (тиквеник).

Banitsa with milk is made by baking the leaves soaked in milk with sugar and vanillin.

[edit] Preparation

In a large greased baking dish, individual leaves are laid one by one with small amounts of filling and vegetable oil between them. After half of the leaves are laid, a large portion of the filling is spooned onto the leaves and is then covered with the remaining leaves and filling in the same manner. The pastry is then baked at 200-250 degrees Celsius. In some recipes, just before the banitsa is finished, a glass of lemonade or mineral water is poured into the tray, and the baking continues for several more minutes.

[edit] Symbolism

In Bulgaria, banitsa is a symbol of Bulgarian cuisine and traditions.

The word "banitsa" is used as a simile for something very oily, crumpled, or badly maintained. For example, a police officer can accuse someone of having his or her passport "become like a banitsa" (станал е на баница); a teacher might say this about a pupil's notebook. A common expression is also "my arse has become like a banitsa" (задникът ми стана на баница), referring to a prolonged and uncomfortable sitting position. The same can be said for a very badly crushed car after an accident.

Another expression, popular in the 1980s, is "And maybe you'd like some banitsa hand delivered tomorrow for breakfast too?" (а банички с кисело мляко сутрин рано за закуска в леглото не искаш ли?), meaning "You want too much."

The word "tikvenik" is a metaphor for someone very stupid, e.g. "you are a big tikvenik" (голям си тиквеник), meaning "you are a pumpkin -head."

The word "zelnik" is connected with the proverb "A fool is not the one who eats two zelniks, but the one who gives them away." (Не е луд който изяжда два зелника, а който му ги дава).