Cut into a gibanica and the browned top layers break away, showing a soft filling of cheese and egg underneath. This Serbian pie is all about that contrast: crisp on the outside, soft and juicy inside. Thin sheets of filo are layered in a baking pan with feta, eggs and sour cream, then baked until the pastry crisps and the center sets.
Gibanica in Serbia
Pies like this turn up all over Serbian life: at family tables, in markets and bakeries, at the slava celebration, at Sunday lunch, and on the road. At a Serbian dinner, gibanica comes to the table with dishes such as polenta, and with buttermilk, yogurt or fresh milk alongside. For more dishes from the country, see our Serbia page.
One name covers more than one pie, though. In Vojvodina, gibanica is made with thin pastry wrapped around young cow's-milk cheese and served as a warm appetizer and on festive tables; in northern Bačka it also goes by prisnac. The feta, sour cream and butter pie here is one family's home version, and there are others.
Ingredients: Filo, Feta, Eggs and Butter in One Pan
Measure the flour by volume (1/2 cup) and don't convert it to grams. See Equipment for the pan.
This recipe contains wheat (gluten), eggs and milk.
Equipment
- Baking pan, 13 × 9 × 2 inches (about 33 × 23 × 5 cm)
- Oven
- Large mixing bowl and a whisk or fork
- Sieve for the flour
- Pastry brush
- Large spoon for spreading the filling
- Clean, dry kitchen towel to keep the filo covered
Any heatproof pan of a similar size you already own will do. You don't need to buy special equipment for this pie.
Choosing Ingredients for Gibanica
Filo. Look for frozen filo, sometimes sold as pâte filo, and thaw it the way the package says. Spring roll wrappers have a different thickness and texture, so they won't stand in for it.
Feta. Saltiness varies a lot from one brand to the next, so check the label when you buy it. If yours is especially salty, use less salt in the filling.
Butter and flour. Melt unsalted butter for brushing the layers. Any ordinary flour works.
Method: Building the Layers and Setting the Center
Work in units of two filo sheets and "about 6 large spoons" of filling, repeated until the filling is used up. Don't worry about getting an exact layer count.
Gibanica Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Filo cracks or crumbles as you lay it | The sheets dried out after thawing | Keep the sheets you aren't using under a dry towel and take out only what you need |
| The pie tastes too salty | Your feta is saltier than average | Taste the cheese first and season to suit it |
| You run out of butter for the top | Too much butter went into the middle layers | Set some aside for the top before you start layering |
| The top browns before the center sets | Ovens and pans differ | Judge doneness by a set center, not by color alone |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are gibanica and banica the same?
Not exactly. Banica from southeastern Serbia is a related regional tradition, not the same dish under another name.
Can I use a cheese other than feta?
Other cheeses change the saltiness, moisture and tang, so they aren't a good substitute in this pie.
Why does the baking time range from 30 to 45 minutes?
Pans and ovens vary. Keep an eye on the color of the top, but go by the center: when it has set, the pie is done.
