Princesi sas Sirene i Yaitse
Принцеси със сирене и яйца·(prin-tseh-see sahs see-reh-neh ee yait-seh)
After-School Krenvirshi & Princesi
If you grew up in a Bulgarian household, the smell of baking chubritsa immediately teleports you back to a 3:30 PM kitchen. Princesi are the ultimate latchkey snack, traditionally blasted under the glowing red elements of a countertop Party Grill until puffy and blistered. The beauty here is sheer, utilitarian simplicity—bread, butter, egg, and the sharp tang of sirene. But every grandmother has a secret to making them perfect. Here, it’s a spoonful of plain yogurt whisked into the egg to prevent it from turning rubbery under the intense heat, giving the topping a light, soufflé-like lift. We're using your oven's broiler to mimic that aggressive top-down heat. It’s fast, dirt-cheap, and tastes exactly like home.
Ingredients
- hearty sandwich bread4 large
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- Bulgarian sirene or firm sheep's milk feta5 oz
- egg1 large
- plain whole-milk Greek yogurt1 tbsp
- dried summer savory1/2 tsp
- sharena sol1/8 tsp
Method
- 01
Position your oven rack in the upper third of the oven and turn the broiler to high.
Line a heavy baking sheet with aluminum foil. You need intense, top-down heat to replicate the physics of the traditional Bulgarian Party Grill.
- 02
Spread a very thin, even layer of softened butter across the surface of each slice of bread, reaching all the way to the crusts.
Do not skip this step. The butter acts as a waterproof shield, ensuring the wet egg mixture doesn't seep into the bread and turn it soggy before it cooks.
- 03
In a medium bowl, thoroughly mash the cheese with a fork until it forms a coarse paste.
You do not want large, distinct cubes. Crack the egg into the cheese, add the yogurt, and beat the mixture vigorously until it forms a thick, cohesive, creamy batter.
- 04
Spoon the cheese and egg mixture evenly over the buttered bread slices, spreading it gently to the edges.
Sprinkle the top of each unbaked toast generously with the dried summer savory.
- 05
Place the baking sheet under the broiler and do not walk away.
Depending on the aggression of your broiler, this will take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. You are looking for the egg to puff up slightly and for the cheese to develop deep, blistered, golden-brown spots.
- 06
Remove from the oven and let the toasts rest for exactly one minute before serving.
The topping will be molten hot. Dust with a tiny pinch of sharena sol if you have it, and serve alongside fresh tomatoes or a cold glass of ayran for the full authentic after-school experience.
Notes
The bread matters.
Do not use crusty, hole-filled artisanal sourdough. The liquid egg will just seep through the crumb holes and glue your sandwich to the pan. Stick to standard, tight-crumb sandwich loaves like a Pullman loaf or dense rustic white.
Sourcing the scent of home.
Summer savory (chubritsa) is the definitive olfactory signature of Bulgarian home cooking. If absolutely unavailable, substitute a pinch of dried oregano mixed with a trace of dried thyme, but the savory is strictly required for the authentic experience.