Savory Serbian Gibanica With Feta Cheese

Name: Savory Serbian Gibanica With Feta Cheese
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 9 large eggs; 2 1/2 pounds large-curd cottage cheese; 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled; 1 pound filo dough, thawed; 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted

Recipe GLPR245a6979bf9101

Eastern European

Main Course

90 min

590 cal

Servings: 8

Oven

SNAP eligible

A traditional Serbian savory pastry pie layered with crispy filo dough and a rich, creamy filling made from cottage cheese, feta, cream cheese, and eggs. This golden-baked gibanica is a beloved Balkan comfort dish that's warm, indulgent, and perfect for brunch or dinner.

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Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

9 large eggs

2 1/2 pounds large-curd cottage cheese

1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled

1 pound filo dough, thawed

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush a 9x13-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter, making sure to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, and crumbled feta cheese. Stir until well blended.
In a separate bowl, beat the 9 large eggs together until well combined. Pour the beaten eggs into the cheese mixture and fold gently until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Unroll the thawed filo dough sheets. Place one sheet in the prepared baking dish and brush it lightly with melted butter. Repeat this layering process with about half the filo sheets (approximately 8-10 sheets), brushing each sheet with butter.
Spread the cheese and egg filling evenly over the filo layers in the baking dish.
Layer the remaining filo sheets on top of the filling, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go. Finish with a final brush of butter on the top sheet.
Using a sharp knife, cut the gibanica into 8 portions (divide into roughly equal squares or rectangles). This helps the pastry cook evenly and makes serving easier.
Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and crispy. The filling should be set and reach an internal temperature of 160°F when checked with a food thermometer.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the layers to set slightly and makes it easier to serve neat portions.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Gibanica is a rewarding make-ahead dish that checks most boxes for Charlotte weeknight cooking. All six ingredients are available at any Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Walmart without a second stop, and at current prices (feta around $6–8 per pound, filo dough $4–5 a box) you're looking at roughly $2–2.50 per serving for a satisfying cheese custard with crispy phyllo crust. The stated 90 minutes is honest if you count rest time, though active hands-on work runs closer to 30–40 minutes. The real caveat is that this is not a casual weeknight dish—it requires assembly attention and precision layering, and it's best served warm the same day or reheated carefully; it does not hold as a leftover quite as gracefully as a casserole. For a weekend dinner or meal-prepped weekend brunch, it's excellent and yields eight generous servings from a simple ingredient list."