Mlechna Banitsa
Млечна Баница·(mlech-nah bah-nit-sah)
Bapche's Breakfasts & Popara Mornings
A 9x13 baking dish sits on the counter, filled with supermarket phyllo, awaiting a delicate custard of eggs, sugar, and a quart of whole milk. Forget the diaspora blogs telling you to mix feta and yogurt into your sweet milk pies—watch Bapche brush the pastry with butter instead. By toasting the ruffled dough in butter before the liquid hits, you create a waterproof armor, yielding a cohesive pastry smelling faintly of lemon and tasting of rich, caramelized milk. Once the custard blisters, cut a thick square while the center still jiggles, and serve it warm.
Ingredients
- fine phyllo dough16 oz
- unsalted butter8 tbsp
- whole milk4 cup
- granulated sugar1 cup
- eggs5 large
- vanilla extract1 tsp
- lemon zest1/2 tsp
- powdered sugar2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish.
Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch rectangular baking dish or a large 12-inch round pan with a little of the melted butter.
- 02
Shape the phyllo into an accordion fold.
Take one sheet of phyllo and gently scrunch it from the long side into a loose, ruffled fan. Lay it into the pan and repeat with the remaining sheets, packing them loosely side-by-side until the pan looks like a sea of ruffled pastry.
- 03
Par-bake the pastry to create a waterproof armor.
Drizzle the remaining melted butter evenly over the ruffled dough and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Do not skip this step; it prevents the delicate phyllo from dissolving into a soggy paste when the milk is added.
- 04
Warm the milk and sugar.
While the pastry bakes, pour the milk and granulated sugar into a saucepan. Heat over medium just until it is warm to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove from heat.
- 05
Temper the eggs to build the custard.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs vigorously. Slowly pour the warm, sweetened milk into the eggs in a thin stream while whisking constantly so they don't scramble, then stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.
- 06
Pour the custard and bake.
Carefully pull the hot, golden phyllo from the oven and immediately pour the egg mixture evenly over the top so it seeps into all the accordion folds. Return to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the custard is set and the top ruffles are a deep, rich golden brown.
- 07
Trap the steam with a kitchen towel.
Remove the pan from the oven and immediately cover it with a clean, dry kitchen towel for 10 to 15 minutes. This traps the evaporating steam to gently soften the sharpest edges of the crust so it slices beautifully.
- 08
Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Give the top a generous dusting of powdered sugar before slicing. Serve warm, or chilled straight from the fridge the next day.
Notes
The Weeknight Head Start
For a rapid morning breakfast, do the entire accordion fold and par-bake the night before. Leave the dry, baked phyllo on the counter overnight. In the morning, quickly whisk the custard together, pour it over the pastry, and bake.