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 Bulgarian, the smell of toasting summer savory means it's 3:30 PM and you're fresh out of school. Princesi are the ultimate latchkey snack, born of sheer utilitarian genius: bread, butter, egg, and the sharp, undeniable tang of white brine cheese. Traditionally, these are blasted under the glowing red elements of a specialized countertop "Party Grill," but your oven's broiler will do the job just fine. The real grandmother's trick here—the thing that separates a rubbery egg scramble from a light, perfectly puffed, savory soufflé—is a single spoonful of yogurt mixed into the batter. It is fast, dirt-cheap, and tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Position your oven rack in the upper third of the oven, about 5 inches from the top element.
Turn the oven to broil on high to mimic the intense, top-down radiant heat of a traditional Bulgarian Party Grill.
Line a heavy baking sheet with aluminum foil.
This ensures easy cleanup if any molten cheese decides to jump ship during the bake.
Ingredients
- slices dense 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 savory (chubritsa)1/2 tsp
- sharena sol1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Build the moisture barrier.
Lay the bread slices on the baking sheet and use a butter knife to spread a very thin, edge-to-edge layer of softened butter over each one. Do not skip this; the butter acts as a waterproof shield, stopping the wet egg from soaking in and turning the crumb into a soggy mess before it has a chance to cook.
- 02
Formulate the topping.
In a medium bowl, vigorously beat the crushed cheese, egg, and yogurt with a fork until it forms a thick, cohesive, and creamy batter.
- 03
Assemble and season.
Spoon the batter evenly over the buttered bread, spreading it gently all the way to the crusts, then generously dust the top of each unbaked princesa with the dried summer savory.
- 04
Broil with vigilance.
Slide the baking sheet under the broiler and do not walk away. Depending on the aggression of your oven, it will take 4 to 8 minutes for the egg to puff up slightly and the cheese to develop deep, blistered golden-brown spots.
- 05
Rest and serve.
Pull the sheet from the oven and let the toasts rest for exactly one minute before eating—the topping will be molten hot. Serve immediately, perhaps dusted with a tiny pinch of sharena sol.
Notes
Sourcing Summer Savory (Chubritsa).
This herb is the olfactory soul of Bulgarian home cooking. If you absolutely cannot find it, a pinch of dried oregano mixed with a pinch of dried thyme will simulate the herbaceousness, but do whatever you can to track down the real thing.
The Bread Trap.
Avoid crusty, hole-filled artisanal sourdough. The liquid egg mixture will simply seep right through the crumb holes and glue your sandwich to the pan, failing to form the necessary custardy top layer. Stick to a dense, utilitarian sandwich loaf.