Smoked Sausage-Cheese Biscuits

Besides sweet pies and BBQ, biscuits are my favorite American stuff, I love them so much that I loose any control when I see them, which means I can eat a great number of those. 

My excitement already starts while the biscuits are in the oven, that smell of butter is so promising. When they get out, I like to brush them with melted butter, just a final touch, and then I eat them layer by layer. 

I don't know the number of biscuits that I made, it is definitely a huge one, but I really know the best recipe for them. Over the time, I created very nice versions adding different ingredients, so far my favorites are biscuits with smoked sausage and cheese (the recipe follows), then those with goat cheese and za'atar, and biscuits with cheddar cheese. Also, I like to eat them with homemade herb butter.

For the wet ingredient, I usually use buttermilk, but I have to tell you Kefir is even better, although more expensive. However, if I don't have any of those at home, you can use sour cream with some milk, and that works as well.

Smoked sausage and cheese is a combination that cannot go wrong in biscuits. Surprisingly, I have never saw that combination here in US before, I got idea from my sister-in-low from Serbia who made the similar stuff. I gave it a try and outcome surpassed my expectations.

In my opinion these biscuits are great for breakfast, as an appetizer, and they also make a great snack. Also, they often end up in lunch boxes of my children.

You need for about 24 biscuits:

4 cups all purpose flour + some for dusting

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter, very cold + 3 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups buttermilk or Kefir

1 cup smoked sausage, cut into small pieces

1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Mexican mix)

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400F (205C). Line the large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a big bowl mix flour with salt, baking powder and soda. Add cold butter cut into small pieces. Rub the butter into flour mixture using your fingertips. After few minutes when you get crumbly mixture, make a well in it and add cold Kefir, or buttermilk, cut smoked sausage and shredded cheese and mix everything with a big metal spoon until you can form a very rough ball.

Move the dough onto floured surface, and form it into rectangle shape by patting. Fold it over, just like letter, and then pat it to get rectangle shape, and do folding and patting five more times, that helps to get flaky biscuits. While you work with the dough use flour generously for dusting top and bottom.

When you finally shape the dough into rectangle 1 inch tick, cut it into round shapes using floured glass or 2-inch diameter cookie cutter. Push the cutter straight down the dough. Gather the scrap dough and cut it too.

Place the round shapes on the baking sheet, slightly apart, and bake for 15-18 minutes, until biscuits' tops become golden brown.

When they are out of the oven, brush the biscuits with melted butter. They are the best when fresh, but if they are one or two days old you can always toast them.

Savory Strudel with Kale and Feta Cheese

I am a huge fan of strudel, it doesn't matter if it is sweet or savory. Everything about strudel is very special to me, and when we talk about savory one, I prefer it stuffed with Feta cheese and spinach. That is the best combination, proven so many times.


However, if you have garden full of kale for almost half of year like I do (it is very productive and long-lasting vegetable), you have to find a way to use it, so I decided to try it in strudel. Although I think there is too much hype about it, I do recognize kale if healthy and nutritious. Favorite soup in my family is Tuscan Soup with Kale and we have it at least 2-3 times monthly.

This year I planted two different kinds of kale: regular and purple one. Although they look different, the taste is pretty much the same. This vegetable is best when it's young (like on the pictures here) because baby kale is tender and not bitter.

The recipe below is for four rolls of strudel and that's a lot, but you can always freeze it, as my mom used to do it, or cut the amount of ingredients in half. This strudel is a good choice for breakfast or snack.

Savory Strudel with Kale and Feta Cheese

You need for the dough:

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 cup warm milk

1 cup warm water

1/2 oz active yeast

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

9 tablespoons melted butter

2 eggs

For filling:

1lb Feta cheese, crumbled

2 bunches of kale, stems removed and chopped

5 eggs

1 cup of Greek yogurt or Kefir
Salt and black pepper

1/2 stick of butter, melted

Baking pan, dimensions 13x9x2 inches, oiled

Steps:

Stir together flour, salt, sugar, yeast, melted butter and beaten eggs in a mixing bowl. Pour warm milk and water into the flour mixture. Mix everything with the spoon or in a food processor.

Transfer the dough to the counter and knead for about 10 min. Add more flour if needed.

Form dough in the round shape and put it in the lightly oiled large bowl to rise for 1 hour, to double its original size. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

In a bowl combine beaten eggs, crumbled Feta cheese, Greek yogurt, chopped kale and salt and black pepper to taste. You will use this as stuffing. 

Preheat the oven to 400F (205C).

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into four even pieces. Roll out each piece of dough with a rolling pin into rectangular shape that fits your baking pan. First brush the dough with melted butter, add 1/4 of stuffing over it, and fold the dough carefully into long roll. Place it in baking pan. Do the same with the rest of materials.

When you have all rolls placed in baking pan, brush their tops with melted butter. Let them rest for 15 minutes.

Bake strudel about 30 minutes, or until it gets nice golden-brown crust.

Serve with Kefir.

Mini Paris-Brest

This is the best dessert that I've tried recently. Yes, I do like choux pastry filled with cream, let's say Cream Puffs are my favorite thing in the world, but this one has brought it to another, higher level.


Everything is cool about Paris-Brest: the way how it was invented, puffy crust, filling with ground almond and caramel mixture, and the look. I have to say I prefer mini version because it is easy to serve; big ring can be challenging for cutting.


This dessert was invented more than hundred years ago, to celebrate famous bicycle tour in France, Paris-Brest-Paris. Cake had the shape of a bicycle wheel and quickly became popular among participants in biking event due to its high caloric value. Today, it can be found in patisseries throughout France.


I found this recipe here. When I saw Paris-Brest on that blog I knew immediately I had to make it.

You need for the choux pastry:

4.2oz (125ml) beaten eggs (2 to 3eggs)
4.2oz (125ml) water
2oz (62ml) vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2.6oz (75g) all-purpose flour
1.8oz (50g) butter



For almond-caramel mixture:

1.8oz (50g) sugar
2.1oz (60g) raw almond


For the filling:

8oz (240ml) milk
8oz (240ml) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
5.3oz (150g) sugar
1.5oz (40g) cornstarch
1.8oz (50g) butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream, optional


For serving:

Powdered sugar




Steps:

Almond-caramel mixture:

Heat sugar in a small pan over medium heat.When it's caramelized, but before it starts to burn, remove it from the heat and add almonds. Mix it together and spread the mixture over parchment paper. Let it cool down completely and then grind it in a food processor.

Choux pastry:

Preheat the oven to 395F (200C). Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 8 circles on the back side of the paper, about 4 inch in diameter. Prepare a piping bag with a third of an inch tip.

Put oil and water in a medium pan and bring it to boil. Add sugar and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in flour. Mix it using wooden spoon until you get consistent dough. Pour in beaten eggs and mix it until you get smooth and glossy mixture.

Put the dough in the piping bag. Trace the circles you already drew on parchment paper. Every mini puff should bi built of three piped circles, one outer, then inner and top one that crosses both. Or, use wider tip and make only one circle.

Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake them about 20 to 30 minutes, until the crust becomes puffy and golden brown. Do not open the oven until the pastry is done.

Cool puffs on cooling rack, and split them into halves using sharp knife.

In meantime, make the filling.

In a medium pan heat half of the milk (4oz) and heavy cream (8oz). Add vanilla extract. In another pan mix egg yolks with sugar and starch and then gradually add remaining 4oz of milk (it should be hot), while constantly stirring it. Then, pour that mixture into the first pan with hot milk and heavy cream. On low-medium heat cook the cream, stirring it continuously, until it thickens.

When the cream has consistency of pudding, remove it from the heat. Stir in butter.  Place the pan with the cream on a large shallow dish filled with ice. That is the best way to cool the cream quickly. When the cream is cooled completely add ground almond-caramel mixture and stir everything well.

Fill the choux rings with the cream using piping bag. Optionally, add whipped cream over the cream.

Dust the rings with powdered sugar before serving. Keep Paris-Breast covered in a fridge.

Easy Rolls with Feta Cheese (Brze kiflice sa sirom)

These are the best and the easiest rolls that I've ever made in my life. I found this recipe on Suzana's blog, here.


I have to make them again, as soon as possible. There is something very cool about the dough in this recipe - you don't have to wait for it to rise. That was great, because my kids didn't want to wait, they wanted to eat the rolls right away. Plus, they were my helpers, which means mess was all around... I had to work fast. My kids just love to play with dough. If you needed an idea how to entertain your kids during summer break, now you have it.

You don't need more than 20-25 minutes to make these rolls, plus baking time. Bread flour and instant yeast can be replaced with regular, all-purpose flour and active yeast, but I do not guarantee that the dough will be as airy. Also, you can replace sesame and caraway seeds with something else, but believe me, those are the best for topping.

If you keep the rolls wrapped with plastic foil they will be fresh a day after, if any left:)

You need for dough:

600g (4 1/2 cup) bread flour + some for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon baking powder
200ml (4/5 cup) warm milk
100ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream

For filling:
1 egg, beaten
100g Feta cheese, crumbled

For glaze:
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon milk

Sesame seeds
Caraway seeds


Steps:

Use food processor or mixer to make the dough. Pulse flour, salt, baking powder and instant yeast in food processor for few seconds. Add warm milk, oil and sour cream. Mix it until you get smooth and palatable dough.

Remove the dough to flour-dusted surface. Knead it few times, and shape it into a ball. With a dough cutter divide it into four even pieces and shape them into balls.

Roll out each ball with rolling pin until you get circle 12" in diameter. Using sharp knife cut the circle into 8 even triangle pieces, first making +, then x with the knife.

Mix crumbled Feta cheese with beaten egg. Place about 1 teaspoon of filling on wider half of each small triangle. Roll triangles starting from the wider side. If you want the rolls to look nicer and ensure filling doesn't spill over during baking, fold the sides of triangles and then roll them. Place the rolls on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do the same with the rest of the dough balls. You will need two large baking sheets. Let the rolls rest for 15 minutes before baking.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 355F (180C).

Brush the rolls with mixture of beaten egg and milk, and add sesame or caraway seeds on the top.

Bake them for 18-19 minutes until crust becomes golden.


Serve the rolls warm.

Spiral Rolls with Phyllo Dough

Gibanica, one of the most popular dishes in Serbia, is a Cheese Pie made with phyllo dough. After using same old recipe (and getting great results) for years, I finally decided to experiment and make this traditional pie a bit differently. Instead of laying flat layers of phyllo dough, this time I rolled it into spirals. Original recipe find here.

The pie turned out beautifully, in my opinion even better than the original recipe. Phyllo dough was so crispy and flaky on the top, and I loved soft layers of cheese and dough in the middle. And it was nice for serving too.

I also made two filling variations: one with spinach and the other plain egg-cheese, because my kids do not like spinach. Do what you like, but I prefer cheese-spinach combo, especially in the Spring time. If you like it too, check out another recipe where I use this combination.

You need:

12 sheets of phyllo dough, I prefer thicker for savory stuff, left 2 hours on room temperature

1/2 cup Canola oil

5 eggs

1lb Feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup Kefir or Greek yogurt

1 package of frozen spinach (optional), thawed and drained

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 stick of butter

You need one large or two smaller baking pans

Steps:

Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Grease the pan with oil.

In a bowl mix beaten eggs, Kefir, crumbled Feta cheese, spinach, salt and pepper.

Open phyllo dough package, unfold sheets and cover them with damp kitchen towel.

Take one phyllo sheet and spread oil over it using pastry brush. Next, add cheese-spinach filling liberally, keeping in mind you need filling for the rest of sheets. Then, start to fold sheet diagonally to get the longest possible roll. Once folded, roll it into spiral shape very carefully and place it on the baking pan. Repeat the same with the rest of phyllo dough.

When you are done with rolling, cut butter into small cubes and place them on the top of spiral rolls. Put the pan into the oven, on the middle rack, and bake rolls for 30 minutes, until they become golden brown. Serve warm.

 

 

Lucija's Meat Pie with Phyllo Dough (Pita sa mesom)

I was looking for a meat pie recipe when my husband said, "Let's call Lucija, she used to make very good meat pie, she will give you the recipe." Lucija, his sister-in-law, married to his older brother, lives in Belgrade, Serbia, and thanks to advanced technology we can clik on video call over Skype and get in touch in a second. That's how I got the recipe. We, emigrants, are very grateful for today's free-of-charge ways of communication!

To be honest, I never made this pie before, but the recipe is good and dish is easy to make, so I wanted to share it with you.

Thanks Lucija for a good recipe!

You need:

1 package (1lb) phyllo dough (thick sheets if possible), left out of fridge for 2 hours
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/4lb ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or plain Kefir
3/4 cup Canola oil
3/4 cup sparkling water
5 eggs

Steps:

In medium size pot heat the oil, add chopped onion. After 2-3 minutes of cooking on medium high heat, add ground beef. Stir the meat until you break clusters. Add salt and black pepper. Cook it for 15 minutes. At the end stir in 1 egg. Place the meat aside.

Mix together Greek yogurt, sparkling water and oil. Beat the rest of eggs in another bowl.

Open the phyllo dough package, unfold sheets and cover with damped kitchen towel.

There are two ways of making meat pie with phyllo dough: first is making 4 rolls and then placing them in baking pan, as I did, and the other one is layering phyllo sheets one by one over baking pan which is easier way. I tried first way because I thought my baking pan wasn't big enough for whole phyllo dough sheet.

Preheat the oven to 395F.

Divide total number of phyllo sheets by 4. I had 16 sheets, so used 4 of them to make one roll. Place two phyllo sheets over work surface, using a pastry brush spread lightly the yogurt-sparkling water-oil mixture over it. Place additional 2 sheets over it and brush it with the same mixture. Then spread 1/4 of cooked beef over it. Fold into roll and place in the baking pan that you previously lined with parchment paper.


Repeat the same with the rest of phyllo sheets until you get 4 rolls. Using sharp knife cut the rolls into square pieces as I did on the picture above. Pour the yogurt mixture evenly over the cut rolls and let it soak into dough for 10-15 minutes. Do the same with beaten eggs and wait another 10 minutes.

Move the pan to the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the top becomes golden brown.


Serve it warm, best with plain Greek yogurt.

Flower Bread

I've always wanted to make this bread. It looks so divine. This time my doughter helped me with kneading and rolling the dough. We were the baking team on a mission. It wasn't easy, flour was all over my kitchen, but she had a lot of fun.

I adjusted the recipe that I found on Zokie's blog. Not only the bread looks so beautiful but the dough is so soft and moist... perfect.



You need:

550g (4 and 1/3 cup ) all-purpose flour + some for dusting
150g (1 cup and 1/5 cup) bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
10g instant yeast, or 18g active dry yeast
100ml milk
1 teaspoon sugar
2 eggs + 1 yolk, reserve 1 eggwite for brushing the bread
250ml buttermilk or kefir
113g (1 bar) melted unsalted butter + 60g (3/4 bar) beaten butter for brushing the dough layers

Sesame and caraway seeds for topping

10.5 inch diameter round baking pan

Steps:

In food processor mix flour with instant yeast and salt. If you use active dry yeast dissolve it beforehand in the warm milk with sugar. When the yeast starts to bubble add it to the flour. Add eggs, yolk, buttermilk and melted butter. Mix everything together in food processor until the dough is smooth and soft. Make a ball from the dough, coat it with oil and move to a bowl. Cover it with plastic foil and let it rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and divide into 4 equal parts. Form them into balls. On a floured surface roll first ball into thin round shape, 10.5 inch in diameter, using the rolling pin. Place it on round baking pan. Using pastry brush or spatula spread beaten butter on top of the round dough. Repeat the process with the two of the remaining three dough balls, putting each dough layer on top of the previous one. Do not spread the butter on the last (top) dough layer. Keep the last dough ball.

Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the round dough layers into 8 triangle slices. Roll each triangle into crescent, starting from the tip of the top layer, as it is on picture below. Repeat the same with all layers of dough. In the center place the last dough ball. You can cut it as I did. The tiny ball on the tip was made by my daughter. Let bread rise for about 1 hour covered with kitchen towel.

Brush top of the risen bread with egg white and sprinkle it with sesame seeds and the center with caraway seeds.

All steps of shaping the dough are shown on the pictures below.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 365F (200C).

Bake the bread for 30 - 45 minutes, depending on the heat of the oven, until golden brown. When is done, cool it on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, remove it to cooling rack to cool down further. Serve it warm or completely cooled.

Homemade Crescent Rolls Stuffed with Goat Cheese

I often crave rolls, almost any kind. However, crescent rolls are my favorite, buttery and flaky. Although I like them so much, I don't make them well... tried it many times but it didn't work out. I recently asked Zokie, a Serbian lady who lives in Canada and unofficial queen of rolls, to give me the recipe for her top rolls. I made them and they were great, so I decided to share the recipe with you. This was also my pick for food blogger game FBI rukavice.

One more thing, you should always eat rolls the same day you made them, as they are not as good a day after. Some people swear they have recipe for rolls that can stay fresh for two, three days but I don't believe it.

You need:

3 1/2 cup (500g) flour
1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
Pinch of salt
100ml water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
2 yolks

2 sticks of butter (226g), on room temperature and then beaten well

For filling: 3/4 cup creamy goat cheese


Steps:

In food processor mix flour with instant yeast and salt. If you use active dry yeast dissolve it beforehand in the warm water with sugar. When the yeast starts to bubble add it to the flour. Add eggs, yolks and yogurt. Mix everything together in food processor until the dough is smooth and soft. Make a ball from the dough, coat it with oil and move to a bowl. Cover it with plastic foil and let it rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Punch dough down and divide into 8 equal parts. Form them into balls. On a floured surface roll first ball into thin round shape, 15 inch in diameter, using a rolling pin. Using pastry brush or spatula spread beaten butter on top of the round dough. Repeat the process with the rest of dough balls, putting each dough layer on top of the previous one. Do not spread the butter on the last (top) dough layer. Stretch layered dough a little bit more using the rolling pin.

Using a sharp knife cut the round dough into 16 triangle slices. On each triangle put a teaspoon of goat cheese. Roll each triangle into crescent, starting from the outside edge. Place rolls on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Roll's tip should be tucked down and under the roll. You can brush tops of the rolls with egg whites and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like. Let rolls rise for about 15-20 minutes covered with kitchen towel.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Bake the rolls for 15-17 minutes, depending on the heat of the oven and size of rolls, until golden brown. Let them cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, remove them to cooling rack to cool down further and they are ready to be served.

More rolls from my kitchen

Sour Cherry Strudel (Pita sa višnjama)

I don't get why it is so hard to find sour cherries in the U.S. This is the season when you would expect to find them in stores or farmers' markets, but no sour cherries, only sweet... Obviously, sour taste is not popular in this part of the world. To be honest, eating fresh sour cherries is not interesting at all, but when you use them in baking magic happens.

I  was so desperate I wanted to plant a sour cherry tree in my backyard, but then I found out it could take five years to start producing fruits which it is a pretty long time and I am a very impatient person. However, there are some options on the market. In some international stores you can find them frozen, or in kompot in jars; even in regular supermarkets there are tart cherries in cans, usually in water, or, if you are lucky, in cherry syrup.

This recipe was inspired by one found in food magazine Mezze (page 95-98), with some adjustments.



You need:

1 package of phyllo dough, left at room temperature for 2 hours
2 lbs pitted sour cherries, fresh, frozen or in can, thawed and drained
1/3 cup vegetable oil
12 tablespoons of sugar
4 tablespoons of semolina

Powdered sugar for serving

Baking pan dimension of 15x10 inches



Steps:

Preheat the oven to 395F (200C).

Drain the liquid from pitted sour cherries using sieve. Open the package of phyllo dough, unroll the phyllo sheets and cover them with dampened kitchen towel, otherwise they will dry out.

Count the sheets and divide total number by 4... because you will make 4 rolls. Please don't be stressed out if you don't have the same number of sheets for each roll.

Arrange first phyllo sheet on work surface and brush it with oil using pastry brush, or you can use oil spray. Evenly sprinkle it with one tablespoon of sugar and then place another phyllo sheet over it. Do the same as you did with the first one. Third sheet brush with oil, sprinkle with one tablespoon of semolina, add 1/4 of total amount of sour cherries and then sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar over it. Leave 1/4 of sheet not covered with cherries, as it is on picture below. Start to fold phyllo layers into roll, finishing on the side of sheet not covered with cherries.

Place the roll on the baking pan. Repeat this with the rest of phyllo dough and cherries.

Brush the top of rolls with oil and put the baking pan into the oven. Bake the strudel for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. When it is done, let it rest for 15 minutes covered with kitchen towel.

Serve cut pieces with powdered sugar sprinkled on the top.

Serbian Doughnuts with Jam (Krofne)

This is my mom's recipe and she actually made those doughnuts on the pictures. So, she is the star of this post.

Simple but amazingly good thing, Serbian doughnut. Thanks to my mom, I tried them again after many years... and, they didn't lose any of their old charm.

In my opinion this is the most popular dessert in Serbia.





For yeast mixture you need:

1 package (10g) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm milk
1/4 cup warm water



For dough:

500-600g flour, and some for dusting
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 canola oil
3 eggs

Canola oil - to fill 1.5 inch of frying pan

Jam - my mom used raspberry jam, but you can use whatever you have in your pantry.

Powdered sugar



Steps:

Combine 1/4 cup of warm water and 1/4 cup of warm milk with sugar, salt and yeast. Stir well and set aside for 10 minutes until mixture starts to bubble.

Knead the dough using sifted flour, yeast mixture, milk, water, canola oil and beaten eggs. When the dough is mixed well, remove it to the oiled bowl and cover with cloth or plastic wrap. Wait to rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Then punch the dough one more time and wait for 30 minutes to rise again.

Spread the dough on work surface dusted with flour. Using rolling pin stretch the dough and when it's 1cm thick use 6cm-diameter circle cutter to make rounds. Repeat the same process with the dough leftovers. Make a hollow on the top side of each dough round using your finger - that's where you will put jam filling.

Heat the canola oil in a small pan. Fry doughnuts in medium hot oil for 2-3 minutes each side, till they get nice brown color.

When doughnuts are fried remove them to the paper towel. Then, fill each with the jam. Sprinkle doughnuts with powdered sugar.

Eat warm.

My mom in action

Serbian Famous Cheese Pie - Gibanica gužvara

So you think you tried in your life the best possible food that you have could... but you didn't if you never ate this famous cheese pie, Gibanica. Sometimes I crave this food so much that I feel pain in my stomach. I know it is silly, but that's in my genes... I come from Balkans, phyllo dough in any combination (cheese, meat, potato, etc) is our staple.

I could write all day long about Gibanica... but to make it short, you should know few things about it. To make good Gibanica you have to use high quality cheese and not-too-thin phyllo dough. Unfortunately, in the U.S. it is impossible to find  Balkan white cheese and sometimes it is challenging to find thick phyllo dough too (usually you can find only thin one for balkava but try in some ethnic shops).

After many trials I found the best possible recipe for Gibanica with ingredients that you can find in North America. My recipe is related to Maja's (please visit her blog, it it full of interesting stuff). She introduced me to upside-down technique used in Bulgaria to make Gibanica fluffy, not flattened. On her blog you will find nice pictures guiding you through the whole process of making this dish.

Find here recipe for another Cheese pie with phyllo dough.

You need:

1 package of thick phyllo dough (if you use thin one Gibanica will still be ok but more like souffle)

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

200g Feta cheese

100g regular sour cream

2 cups Kefir

1 cup Greek yogurt

5 eggs

100 ml canola oil

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 390F (200C).

In a big bowl mix sifted flour, salt and baking soda. In another bowl crumble Feta cheese with fork and add sour cream and flour and stir everything well. Add Greek yogurt and Kefir, eggs and canola oil, stir until the mixture is smooth.

Unroll the phyllo dough and place it on a work surface. Cut the dough sheets into smaller pieces with sharp knife. Separate them, and fold into the filling mixture by woden spoon. Do not throw all pieces at once, because it is not easy to mix them that way and the filling won't penetrate all phyllo dough pieces. When you stir in all phyllo dough leave it for 5 minutes to settle down. Then pour the mixture in round or rectangle baking pan.

Bake the pie for 45 minutes when the crust is golden brown as it is on pictures. Before you remove the pie from the oven, place upside down the same size four coffee cups on the work surface in position to support the rim of the baking pan.

When the pie is done, remove it immediately from the oven and place it upside down so cups can carry it and leave the pie hanging from above for 20 minutes. No need to say that you have to be very careful when doing this procedure.

Then, turn the baking dish over and serve Gibanica warm.

Since there is Nuttela Day we should consider having Gibanica Day too, don't you think so?

 

Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Pie

It is similar to Greek Spanakopita, but even better. Cheese and spinach make one of the most fabulous combos in pies. I use half of Feta and half of cottage cheese to get a good balance of flavor. It is always better to use thicker phyllo dough for this kind of pie, however is not easy to find it here in the U.S. When it is about making phyllo pies there is a rule - thin sheet phyllo goes well with sweet and thicker with savory pies.

On the pictures you can see how great feast I had. Cheese and spinach phyllo pie with dry smoked beef and kefir. I think this food  žwould help even Novak Djokovic recover immediately after his epic match with Rafael Nadal on Australian Open. Btw, what a great finals, what a great victory!

You need:

1 package of phyllo dough – if it was in the freezer move it to the fridge overnight, and then it has to be out of the fridge for 2 hours

For the first filling:

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sparkling water

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon. salt

1 cup plain yogurt

For the second filling:

1 cup crumbled Feta cheese

1 cup cottage or Ricotta cheese

2 bunches of fresh spinach

Steps:

Make the first filling – mix eggs, yogurt, oil, sparkling water, salt, baking powder and flour.

Make the second filling – combine cottage cheese, crumbled Feta cheese and spinach (cleaned, washed and chopped).

Preheat oven to 395F (200C).

Divide all phyllo sheets by 4 to get the same number of layers that you need for each roll (you will have four rolls). You have to work fast with phyllo dough. Cover it with wet cloth, otherwise it will dry out.

Spread the sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with the first filling. Put over the next sheet and repeat. If the phyllo dough is too thin, brush every second sheet. The last layer brush with the first and spread the second filling. Roll the dough and transfer to the greased baking pan.

When you have all four rolls in the pan, pour the rest of the first filling over them. Place baking pan in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes until the top gets golden brown color.

Allow to cool down a bit before you cut it.

Serve it warm with kefir.

You can find my other savory phyllo pie with mushrooms here.

Proja, a Serbian Cornbread

There is no better snack than proja with kefir*, especially muffin-shaped proja.

What makes this cornbread different is cheese as an ingredient. Since it is impossible to find regular Serbian white cheese here, I use feta cheese which is tangier.**

If you prefer crunchy texture add instant polenta as I do. Sometimes I put parsley or some other herb just to give it a kick.

Here you can find similar savory muffins with ham, red pepper, herbs, etc.

*What Americans call kefir is regular yogurt in Serbia. We like it plain and liquid without fruits and sugar. What Serbs call kefir that is something similar to American kefir but it has alcohol.  In the U.S. kefir is quite expensive, but I found one from Trader Joe’s that is the cheapest (no more than $3 per bottle) and it is really good.

**Please check out this video about Serbian food. You will see how Serbian white cheese looks like and other great goodies. I bet your eyes will enjoy every food that you see.

You need for 12 regular muffins:

• 1 cup packed flour

• ½ cup cornmeal

• ½ cup instant polenta

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup plain yogurt or kefir

• ½ cup vegetable oil, plus extra to grease the baking pan

• 100g feta cheese

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease the baking pan.

2. Mix dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, instant polenta, salt and baking powder. In separate bowl mix wet ingredients: eggs, yogurt, and oil. Then, add wet to dry ingredients. Don’t over mix it. Add crumbled feta cheese.

3. Put the mixture in the baking pan. Bake it for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

These are with parsley.

Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough

If you are a big fan of apple pies, but you are a little bit bored with American pies, and you want something different, something more European, you should definitely try Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough. That is my father’s favorite dessert. Every time my mom wanted some favor from him, she would make him apple strudel, and she would get what she wanted. The path to a man’s heart always goes through his stomach.

At the bottom of the post you can see pictures from the absolutely fantastic Ladew Garden, an hour away from Baltimore City. I spent a wonderful time there with my family and I cannot wait until spring to see this place in full bloom.

You need:

• 2 1/3 lb apple (about 6 medium apples) Granny Smith apple is the best kind for this strudel
• 1 package of phyllo dough
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons bread crumbs or Cream of Wheat
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Steps:

1. Don’t forget to transfer phyllo dough from the freezer to the fridge for overnight. Also, the dough should be at room temperature for at least one hour.
2. In a small saucepan bring to boil vegetable oil and water. Let it cool.
3. Peel and grate apples. Do not drain. Add raisins and chopped walnuts, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Put it aside.
4. Divide the phyllo dough sheets to get four rolls. Last time each of my rolls had four sheets, but the number may vary.
5. Cover phyllo dough with a damp cloth to prevent from drying out which causes cracking.
6. Place a parchment paper on the baking pan. Preheat the oven to 430F (220C).
7. How to make rolls. Place the sheet of phyllo dough on work counter and brush it with the mixture of oil and water with a pastry brush. Put the next sheet over and repeat brushing. On the forth or the last sheet spread grated apple mixture evenly. And, sprinkle it with a tablespoon of sugar and a tablespoon of bread crumbs or Cream of Wheat. Fold dough up along the long side to enclose the filling.
8. When you have all rolls in the pan, cover their top with the rest of water and oil.
9. Transfer the pan to the oven. After 10 minutes decrease the oven temperature to 395F (200C). Bake it for an additional 20 – 25 minutes. The strudel should be done when the top is golden brown.
10. Serve it always with powdered sugar sprinkled on the top. It looks better and it tastes better.

 Ladew Garden