Imperial Version
BANITSA
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
Half pkg active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb butter, melted
icing sugar (optional)
Cheese Filling
1 lb cottage cheese
1/2 lb feta cheese, crumbled
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes. Sift flour into large bowl; stir in salt. Make well in centre; pour in yeast mixture. Mix with hands, adding up to 1 cup lukewarm water as needed to form dough. Gather into ball and turn out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is soft but not sticky.
Form dough into disc. Cut into 9 equal sections and roll each into ball. Place on greased rimmed baking sheet, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free place for 30 minutes.
One at a time, roll out each ball into 9-inch circle. Place 1 circle on work surface; brush with butter. Stack another circle on top; brush with butter. Repeat with 1 more circle. Set aside. Repeat to make 2 more stacks of 3 circles each.
Cheese Filling: In bowl, mash together cottage cheese, feta cheese, eggs and salt.
Place 1 circle stack on work surface and roll out into large circle; brush with butter. Lift from underneath with knuckles, gently tossing and stretching as much as possible without tearing. Place on surface and pull as much as possible to form large square. Spoon one-third of the cheese filling along edge closest to you. Roll up dough over filling to form rope. Cut in half and seal ends with fingers. Place strips side by side on greased rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining circles and filling to make 2 more ropes (4 more strips). Brush each strip with butter.
Let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake in 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. Cut diagonally into slices to serve.
VARIATION
Apple Filling
4 apples
rind and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup raisins
3 tbsp graham wafer crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Tip: If filling with apple mixture, Loza forms 8 balls of dough instead of 9 and rolls out 2 stacks of 4 dough circles each. Apples take longer to cook than the cheese filling, so a slightly sturdier pastry is preferable.
Apple Filling: Peel and thinly slice apples. In bowl, toss together apples, lemon rind and juice, raisins, graham wafer crumbs and sugar.
PEETOOLEE
(Fritters)
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp whiskey
1/4 cup water (approx)
2 cups oil for frying
icing sugar (optional)
In bowl, dissolve sugar in lukewarm water. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Sift flour into large bowl; stir in salt. Make well in centre; pour in eggs and yeast mixture. Mix until combined. Pour in whiskey; stir, adding up to 1/4 cup water, until thick and batter drops slowly from spoon. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free place for 30 minutes. Punch down dough. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.
In large deep skillet, heat oil. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter in oil. Fry, in batches and turning, until puffed and golden brown. With slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining batter. Let cool. Dust with icing sugar if desired.
Metric Version
BANITSA
2 mL granulated sugar
Half pkg active dry yeast
750 mL all-purpose flour
2 mL salt
125 g butter, melted
icing sugar (optional)
Cheese Filling
500 g cottage cheese
125 g feta cheese, crumbled
3 eggs, beaten
2 mL salt
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand for about 10 minutes. Sift flour into large bowl; stir in salt. Make well in centre; pour in yeast mixture. Mix with hands, adding up to 250 mL lukewarm water as needed to form dough. Gather into ball and turn out onto lightly floured work surface. Knead, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is soft but not sticky.
Form dough into disc. Cut into 9 equal sections and roll each into ball. Place on greased rimmed baking sheet, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free place for 30 minutes.
One at a time, roll out each ball into 23 cm circle. Place 1 circle on work surface; brush with butter. Stack another circle on top; brush with butter. Repeat with 1 more circle. Set aside. Repeat to make 2 more stacks of 3 circles each.
Cheese Filling: In bowl, mash together cottage cheese, feta cheese, eggs and salt.
Place 1 circle stack on work surface and roll out into large circle; brush with butter. Lift from underneath with knuckles, gently tossing and stretching as much as possible without tearing. Place on surface and pull as much as possible to form large square. Spoon one-third of the cheese filling along edge closest to you. Roll up dough over filling to form rope. Cut in half and seal ends with fingers. Place strips side by side on greased rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining circles and filling to make 2 more ropes (4 more strips). Brush each strip with butter.
Let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake in 180°C oven for 30 minutes or until golden. Let cool. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. Cut diagonally into slices to serve.
VARIATION
Apple Filling
4 apples
rind and juice of 1 lemon
125 mL raisins
50 mL graham wafer crumbs
50 mL granulated sugar
Tip: If filling with apple mixture, Loza forms 8 balls of dough instead of 9 and rolls out 2 stacks of 4 dough circles each. Apples take longer to cook than the cheese filling, so a slightly sturdier pastry is preferable.
Apple Filling: Peel and thinly slice apples. In bowl, toss together apples, lemon rind and juice, raisins, graham wafer crumbs and sugar.
PEETOOLEE
(Fritters)
5 mL granulated sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
750 mL all-purpose flour
5 mL salt
3 eggs, beaten
25 mL whiskey
50 mL water (approx)
500 mL oil for frying
icing sugar (optional)
In bowl, dissolve sugar in lukewarm water. Sprinkle in yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Sift flour into large bowl; stir in salt. Make well in centre; pour in eggs and yeast mixture. Mix until combined. Pour in whiskey; stir, adding up to 50 mL water, until thick and batter drops slowly from spoon. Cover and let rise in warm draft-free place for 30 minutes. Punch down dough. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.
In large deep skillet, heat oil. Drop heaping spoonfuls of batter in oil. Fry, in batches and turning, until puffed and golden brown. With slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining batter. Let cool. Dust with icing sugar if desired.