Bulgarian Deli - banitsa and pastry

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Banitsa is considered a true Bulgarian dish. It is served for breakfast or in special occasions as Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Banitsa is prepared by whisking eggs and mixing them with Bulgarian white cheese and layering them between filo sheets which is then baked in the oven. Most bulgarian households pride themselves by making banitsa from scratch and not using filo sheets. Instead they prepare homemade dough and spread it into thin layers.

There are several variations of the traditional banitsa. Banitsa with spinach, Sweet banitsa and Pumpkin banitsa are among the most popular.

When prepared for New Year's Eve, banitsa carries a deep rooted symbolism. The dish is cut in squares and lucky fortunes are inserted in every piece in the form of dogwood branches. Every branch has a different number of buds and is assigned a certain fortune for the new year (example: love, new house, money etc.).

Kozunak is a traditional Bulgarian and romanian sweet bread. Milk, eggs, sugar and butter are added to the dough to create the sweet flavor and flaky texture. In Bulgaria kozunak is traditionally prepared on Easter. However some researchers say its origins can be traced all the way back to the Egyptians.

There are many varieties of kozunak and many countries have similar sweet bread recipes in their cuisine. Some of the more popular include kozunak with raisins, kozunak with walnuts, kozunak with orange or lemon peels.

This delicacy can be served as a dessert, a snack or as a side dish with coffee, tea or milk.

Mekitsa - traditional Bulgarian dish. Mekitsa (Mekitsi - pl.) is usually served for breakfast sprinkled with powdered sugar or with a side of jam. It can also be served with sirene. However the mekitsa has become a favorite snack for kids and young adults and can be found in many "mom and pop" bakeries in Bulgaria.

The bulgarian recipe for mekitsa calls for flour, eggs, yogurt, water, salt and oil. However recipes vary from region to region and many are passed down the generations.

Other countries in Europe like Serbia, Macedonia, Romania, Hungary also have similar dish although some are preferred with mayonnaise and ketchup instead of powdered sugar.

The texture is usually doughy and stretchy and the flavor is rich and chewy.