Slatki Kolač sa Sirom (Serbian Sweet Cheese Pastry)
A delightful sweet cheese pastry, often made with phyllo dough and a creamy, slightly sweet cheese filling. This versatile pastry can be enjoyed as a dessert or a sweet snack.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 package (approx. 500g) Phyllo dough sheets(thawed according to package directions)
- 350 g Feta cheese(crumbled)
- 200 g Cottage cheese(drained)
- 4 large Eggs
- 150 g Sour cream
- 100 ml Milk
- 50 g Sugar(adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 100 ml Melted butter or oil(for brushing)
- 0.25 tsp Salt(if feta is not very salty)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
💡 Tip: Ensure the pan is evenly greased to prevent sticking. - 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt (if using).
💡 Tip: Whisk until well combined and the sugar is dissolved. - 3
Add the crumbled feta cheese and drained cottage cheese to the egg mixture. Stir gently to combine.
- 4
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared baking pan, letting the edges overhang. Brush lightly with melted butter or oil.
💡 Tip: Work with phyllo dough quickly to prevent it from drying out. - 5
Continue layering phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter or oil, until you have used about half of the dough. You can crumple the sheets slightly for a more rustic texture.
- 6
Pour half of the cheese filling evenly over the layered phyllo dough.
💡 Tip: Spread the filling gently without pressing down too hard. - 7
Layer the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter or oil. Pour the rest of the cheese filling over the top.
💡 Tip: Fold the overhanging edges of the bottom phyllo layers inwards to seal the pastry. - 8
Brush the top layer of phyllo generously with melted butter or oil. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffed up.
⏱️ 50 minutes💡 Tip: If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil. - 9
Let the pastry cool for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to set.
⏱️ 20 minutes
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For a more traditional Gibanica, you can use only feta cheese and omit the cottage cheese.
- ✓If you prefer a sweeter pastry, increase the sugar to 75g or add a tablespoon of honey to the filling.
- ✓Serve warm or at room temperature.
🔄 Variations
- Add a tablespoon of fresh dill or a pinch of nutmeg to the cheese filling for added flavor.
- For a savory version, omit the sugar and vanilla, and consider adding some chopped spinach or leeks.