Sundays with traditional Slovenian recipes – Prekmurska gibanica

If you plan on making something traditionally Slovenian, then we encourage you to make this one.

Ingredients

Pastry

• 200 g (7 oz) cake flour
• 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
• 1 egg

Walnut filling

• 250 g (9 ounces) ground walnuts
• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste

Poppy seed filling 

• 250 g (9 ounces) ground poppy seeds
• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) white wine like Pinot Grigio
• 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

Cheese filling

• 900 g (2 pounds) Farmer's cheese
• 1 egg
• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Apple filling

• 600 g (21 oz) grated apples (Topaz, Idared, Jona Gold)
• 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

Sour cream mixture 

• 600 g (21 oz) sour cream
• 2 eggs

We also need 

• 300 g (10.5 oz) fresh phyllo sheets
• 230 g (2 sticks) melted butter, for drizzling

Method

Pastry
First, make the pastry. Add flour to a bowl, along with butter cut into cubes, sugar, a pinch of salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Crumble into a sand texture using your fingers. Add an egg and knead into a dough. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Optionally make the dough up to 2 days ahead.

Walnut filling
Stir to combine ground almonds, sugar, cinnamon powder, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Set aside until needed.

Poppy seed filling
Add poppy seeds, sugar, white wine, vanilla extract, and cinnamon powder to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Farmer's cheese filling
Add farmer's cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Apple filling
Add grated apples, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder, and grated lemon zest to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.

Sour cream mixture
Combine sour cream, an egg, and a pinch of salt using a whisk. Set aside until needed.

Baking prep
Grease a 20 cm x 30 cm (8 inches x 12 inches) deep baking dish (height 7 cm / 3 inches) with butter. Place a rack on the second lowest position in the oven and preheat it to 190 °C / 375 °F.

Assemble gibanica 
Sprinkle your working surface with flour. Roll out the dough to the size of your baking dish using a rolling pin. The dough's thickness should be 3-4 mm or 1/8 Inch. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking dish with your rolling pin and divide the dough evenly. Prick all over with a fork. Place the first sheet of phyllo pastry (in the size of the baking dish) over the dough and prick it with a toothpick. Brush with melted butter and spread half of the poppy seed filling on top. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of the sour cream mixture and drizzle with melted butter.

Place the next sheet of phyllo on top, prick it all over with a toothpick, and drizzle with melted butter. Add half of the cheese filling. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of the sour cream mixture and drizzle with melted butter. Place the next sheet of phyllo on top, prick it all over with a toothpick, and drizzle with melted butter. Add half of the walnut filling. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of the sour cream mixture and drizzle with melted butter. Place the next sheet of phyllo on top, prick it all over with a toothpick, and drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and add half of the apple filling. Then repeat the process in the same layering with the rest of the ingredients. Start with the poppy seed filling, followed by cheese, walnut, and apple filling. In between, add the phyllo pastry, sour cream mixture, and melted butter. Finish with a phyllo pastry layer. Combine the rest of the sour cream mixture with melted butter and arrange on top of the last layer.

Bake
Place the baking dish with the Prekmurska gibanica into the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour at 190 °C / 375 °F or until golden brown on top. Cut into 12 large slices or 24 small slices and serve warm or cold. We prefer warm and sprinkled with a bit of powdered sugar.

This recipe is made in collaboration with @slovenia and @jernejkitchen.com

You can get the detailed recipe on jernejkitchen.com