Banitsa

This is a Bulgarian cheese pastry with hand-made pastry sheets.
Start with 1¼  cup of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add 2 ½  cup of white unbleached flour. Knead for about 5-6 minutes to make soft elastic dough. Add more flour or water, if needed. Divide in 5 balls and spread a little sunflower oil on each one. Cover with a plastic sheet and let it rest for 1-2 hours.
Put a large (table) cloth on the table and sprinkle flour on it. Rub some flour on your hands and arms too. Take a ball and stretch it carefully with fingers and back of your hands and arms as it increases in size (see pictures).

Rest the sheet on the table from time to time and sprinkle more flour. Continue to stretch until it become very thin. You can cut out some thick parts from the sides if you wish.
Lay the sheet on the table and pour evenly 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil on it. Put crumbled feta cheese (sirene, Bulgarian sirene) evenly on top. Carefully lift one side of the cloth to roll the pastry sheet over itself. Move to a greased baking dish (cookie sheet). The banitsa can be arranged as in spiral (in a round dish), or cut in straight pieces, the size of your baking dish (if rectangular).
Repeat the same with the remaining balls. When the entire banitsa is arranged in the dish, pour evenly on top a mixture of two tablespoons of melted butter and one tablespoon of sunflower oil.
Bake in a preheated (to 400F) oven for about 35 min until the top becomes golden brown.
Take out of the oven and sprinkle a tablespoon of water on top. Then cover with cloth for about 10 min. Remove the cloth and after 10 more minutes it is ready to serve.

Baked Spinach Dish

Looks great and tastes deliciously! Want to try?

Put three tablespoons of olive oil in a pot. Add one small onion finely chopped and three minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add ½  pound fresh chopped spinach and sauté for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Separately, in a small pot cook ¼ cup of rice in one cup of water with some salt (by taste); cook for about 10 minutes until the rice is ready.

In a separate pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add 3 tablespoons of flour and cook until it becomes golden brown. During the cooking gradually add water or vegetable stock until it becomes thick gravy. Add a small can of tomato souse, a teaspoon of paprika, stir and pour into the spinach. Add also the rice and stir well.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and crushed chili pepper if you like.  Add also a handful of chopped parsley. Stir again.

Grease a casserole dish, pour the spinach mixture in it, and sprinkle a handful of mozzarella cheese on top. Make small indentations on the surface and put there several raw eggs. Put on the eggs some salt and some drops of olive oil.

Bake at 400F for 15 min.  Take it out and let it cool a little bit for about 15-20 min.  Serve with plain yogurt