AI-generated image

Share this recipe

Klin

Name: Klin
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Cuisine: Bulgarian
Ingredients: 150 g short-grain white rice; 300 ml water; 300 g vegetarian Bulgarian white cheese (sirene); 4 eggs; 300 ml milk; 150 g plain yogurt; 0.5 tsp salt; 400 g filo pastry; 100 g butter

Rice and cheese filo pie

Klin (клин): Rhodope pie of thin pastry layered with rice, white cheese, eggs and milk

Features:Vegetarian

Cuisine:

Bulgarian

Klin is the festive pie of the Rhodopes, baked for Gergyovden in May, for weddings and for the end of the haymaking, in large round tins that come out to be shared across the village. Thin pastry sheets are layered with a loose, custardy mix of cooked rice, crumbled white cheese, eggs, milk and butter, so it bakes tender and soft inside with a crisp, golden lid. The rice makes it heartier than banitsa and gives every slice a gentle, creamy chew. It is eaten warm or cold with yogurt or ayran. Sirene is often made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian white cheese. Where most people go wrong is cooking the rice fully; it must stay slightly firm, because it carries on soaking up milk in the oven. Chef's tip: pour any leftover egg and milk over the top just before baking, and the surface puffs into a glossy, golden crust.

Total time: 90 min
Difficulty: medium
Serves: 8

One step at a time, big text, timers, read-aloud. Your screen stays on.

Ingredients

Serves8

For the filling

5 ½ oz short-grain white ricerinsed
1 ¼ cups water
10 ½ oz vegetarian Bulgarian white cheese (sirene)crumbled
4 eggs
1 ¼ cups milk
5 ½ oz plain yogurt
½ tsp salt

For the pastry

14 oz filo pastrythawed
3 ½ oz buttermelted

Shop this recipe on Amazon

Spices & pantry

Fresh ingredients (5)

Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.

Method

0/7 done

Step 1: Put 5 ½ oz short-grain white rice, 1 ¼ cups water and ½ tsp salt in a pan, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, until the water has been absorbed but the grains still have a firm centre. Cool for 10 minutes.
20 min
Step 2: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and brush a 28 cm round or 25 × 30 cm tin with butter.
3 min
Step 3: Beat 4 eggs, 1 ¼ cups milk and 5 ½ oz plain yogurt together. Mix the rice and 10 ½ oz vegetarian Bulgarian white cheese (sirene) with two-thirds of the egg mixture, keeping the rest for the top.
4 min
Step 4: Lay two sheets of 14 oz filo pastry in the tin, letting the edges hang over, and brush with 2 ⅛ oz butter. Spread over a quarter of the filling.
5 min
Step 5: Repeat the layers three more times, then cover with the remaining filo, brushing every sheet with butter, and fold the overhanging edges in.
12 min
Step 6: Cut the pie into 8 portions with a sharp knife, pour over the remaining egg mixture and drizzle with the last of the 1 ⅜ oz butter.
3 min
Step 7: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until puffed, deep golden and the filling is set when you press the middle. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting through.
50 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 480 kcal
Protein: 18 g
Carbs: 48 g
Fat: 23 g
Fibre: 1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does klin take?: About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?: Yes. It has no meat or fish.
What can I use instead of short-grain white rice?: Any long-grain rice, same amount.
What can I use instead of eggs?: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.

Rate this recipe

Reform tortaWalnut meringue chocolate cake

Belgrade pastry shops have sold reform torta since the early twentieth century, and it is still the cake Serbian families bring out for birthdays, weddings and the slava. Three thin layers of walnut meringue, crisp at the edge and chewy inside, are stacked with a dense chocolate butter cream made with egg yolks cooked over steam until thick. It is very rich, so cut thin slices and serve with strong coffee. The usual slip is beating the butter into a chocolate mixture that is still warm, which melts it and splits the cream; let it cool to room temperature first. Chef's tip: assemble the cake the day before; overnight in the fridge the meringue softens a little and the cake slices cleanly with a hot knife.

150 minBalkan Baking

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Ma'amoulDate and walnut butter pastries

Ma'amoul are delicate shortbread-like pastries made for Eid and Easter across the Middle East. A soft, rose-scented butter dough is wrapped around a filling of dates, walnuts, almonds and pistachios cooked with cinnamon, marked with a fork, baked pale and dusted with icing sugar. Makes 35; they keep well in a tin.

80 minMiddle Eastern Baking