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Zelnik
Zelnik (зелник): southwest Bulgarian round pie of thin pastry with leeks and white cheese
BulgarianIn the Pirin and Struma valleys of southwest Bulgaria, zelnik is baked in a large round tin for Sunday breakfast and village feasts: crinkled sheets of thin pastry layered with sautéed leeks (or cabbage or spinach), crumbled sirene and egg, then baked until crisp and golden. It is cut into wedges and eaten with a bowl of thick yoghurt or a glass of ayran. The common mistake is a wet filling: squeeze or cook the leeks until all their liquid has gone, or the bottom layers turn soggy. Chef's tip: scrunch the pastry sheets loosely as you layer them instead of laying them flat, so the pie bakes up light and flaky.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
- 3 leeksabout 600 g, washed and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 9 oz sirene or feta-style white cheesecrumbled
- 3 eggs
- 5 ½ oz plain yoghurt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the pastry
- 14 oz filo pastry sheets
- 2 ⅞ oz buttermelted, mixed with 2 tbsp oil
- 10 ½ oz thick plain yoghurtto serve
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Fry 3 leeks in 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until soft and all their liquid has evaporated. Cool.
12 minStep 2: Beat 3 eggs with 5 ½ oz plain yoghurt and ½ tsp black pepper, then stir in 9 oz sirene or feta-style white cheese and the cooled leeks.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan) and brush a 28 cm round tin with some of 2 ⅞ oz butter.
Step 4: Lay 2 sheets of 14 oz filo pastry sheets in the tin, brushing each with butter and letting the edges hang over.
Step 5: Brush another sheet with butter, spread a few spoonfuls of filling over it, scrunch it loosely and lay it in the tin. Repeat until the filling and pastry are used, keeping 2 sheets for the top.
Step 6: Fold the overhanging edges in, top with the last 2 buttered sheets and pour the rest of the butter over.
Step 7: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden and crisp and a knife in the centre comes out clean of runny egg. Rest 10 minutes, cut into wedges and serve warm with 10 ½ oz thick plain yoghurt. Sirene and feta are often made with animal rennet; for vegetarians choose one labelled vegetarian.
45 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zelnik take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 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 leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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