Gibanica (Гибаница)

Gibanica is Serbia's most iconic baked dish — a lavish, layered pie of hand-scrunched filo pastry, fresh white cheese, and eggs that has graced every celebration table and Sunday family lunch for centuries. Unlike tidily layered börek, Gibanica uses a distinctive technique of crumpling the filo sheets into loose rosettes that create irregular pockets of air and cheese, resulting in a textural contrast between the crisp golden top and the creamy, custardy interior. It is simultaneously humble and spectacular.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) filo pastry sheets (about 16–20 sheets)
• 600g (1.3 lb) Serbian white cheese (beli sir) or feta, crumbled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 250ml (1 cup) sour cream (kisela pavlaka)
• 250ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 150ml (⅔ cup) sparkling water
• 100ml (7 tbsp) sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing
• ½ tsp (3g) salt
• 1 tsp (5g) baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly oil a deep 30 × 20cm (12 × 8 inch) baking dish.
2. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, milk, sparkling water, oil, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl until smooth. This is the custard binder.
3. Crumble the white cheese into the custard and stir to combine.
4. Lay one sheet of filo flat in the dish, letting it hang over the edges. Brush lightly with oil. Scrunch three or four additional filo sheets loosely — do not fold neatly — and arrange over the base sheet in a rumpled layer. Spoon over a generous ladle of the cheese custard.
5. Repeat the process — scrunched filo, then custard — for 4–5 layers, pressing gently to compact slightly as you go.
6. Fold in any overhanging pastry over the top. Lay two final flat filo sheets over the top and brush generously with oil. Score the top loosely with a sharp knife.
7. Pour any remaining custard slowly over the top, letting it seep into the gaps. Rest 10 minutes before baking.
8. Bake 40–45 minutes until puffed and deeply golden. Cool 15 minutes before cutting into portions.

Cook's Notes: Sparkling water in the custard lightens the texture and is a Serbian baker's trick. If beli sir is unavailable, a 50/50 blend of feta and ricotta works well. Gibanica is best served warm from the oven but is equally good at room temperature the next day, making it ideal for dinner parties.