Banitsa (2024)

FAQs

What are the lucky charms for banitsa? ›

Traditionally, Bulgarians prepare and serve banitsa on two holidays –Christmas and New Year's Eve. On these days, people add kusmeti ("lucky charms") into the banitsa. These are usually small pieces of dogwood branch, which symbolize health and longevity.

Banitsa Is A Specific Regional Specialty

It's nearly always crafted into a spiral, as opposed to burek's varied shape. And with Bulgaria's disposition toward dairy -- as evidenced by their unique yogurt -- the cheese is a defining characteristic. Plus, Bulgarians associate the dish with specific holiday customs.

Photo: We have 4 different types of banitsa (typical Bulgarian pastry): - with cheese; - with lentils; - with spinach and cheese; - with ham.

Börek or burek is a kind of pastries or pies found in the Balkans, Middle East and Central Asia. The pastry is made of a thin flaky dough such as filo with a variety of fillings, such as meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes.

The recipe for "round" burek was developed in the Serbian town of Niš. In 1498, it was introduced by a famous Turkish baker, Mehmed Oğlu, from Istanbul. Eventually burek spread from the southeast (southern Serbia, Kosovo and North Macedonia) to the rest of Yugoslavia.

Borek also known as Burek can be described as a meal that should be consumed in moderation because it is a hefty source of calories from fats as well as carbs.

We ate the banitsas with vegan fillings – apple, raisins and brown sugar, and potato and mushroom – but only when eating them did it occur to us that maybe that pastry wasn't all vegan (as the filo pastry is traditionally made with egg and probably butter).

What is a traditional Bulgarian breakfast? ›

Bulgarian breakfast

Börek – a filled pastry made with layers of filo dough. Tutmanik – similar to pita, made with yeast dough and milk, but with white cheese. Milinki (singular: milinka) – bread roll type pastry with eggs and sirene.

The prices of food in the country are reasonable, lower than those in other European countries. It all depends on how your meals are organized: there are different costs if you buy snacks in the street, shop for food in supermarkets, and dine in luxury restaurants.

Rakia – Bulgaria's Most Popular Traditional Alcoholic Drink.

Hearts, Stars, and Horseshoes. Clovers and Blue Moons. Unicorns, Rainbows, and Tasty Red Balloons. Plus, crunchy, oat cereal pieces, too!

The most popular charms are the pomegranate, onion, the evil eye, the round coin and the boat. Here's a rundown of what each one represents: Pomegranate – The pomegranate is a symbol of fertility and abundance. The custom of breaking pomegranates inside of a new home for good luck dates back to ancient Greece.

It is a red and white entwined cord, the red one symbolises the winter and the white one the spring, which other symbols of good luck such as a three-leafed clove, chimney sweeper or a heart are tied by. The spring token is worn for a week or two, on outer garments.

Here are 8 popular ones you can wear every day. Hearts, stars, four-leaf clovers, horseshoes and even pennies are popular lucky charms that are believed to subconsciously influence in a positive way. They look good as accessories too.