Slovenian Gibanica

Gibanica is a round-shaped pastry with golden brown crust.  It is multi-layered and filled with curd cheese and eggs.  A traditional Balkan pastry which can be prepared either as sweet or savoury.

Ingredients:
100 g dried apricots
4 tbsp apricot brandy (clear) or hot water

750 g flour
7 g (or one small packet) dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg
400 ml warm milk (not over 35° C in temperature)

Filling Ingredients:
1 packet or 1 tsp vanilla sugar
4 eggs
1 kg curd cheese (Quark - 20% fat)
2 tbsp semolina (Grieß)
150 g butter
2 tbsp sugar to be mixed with 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

Method:
In a bowl, add dried apricots and apricot brandy (or hot water).  Leave to marinate for at least 6 hours.

Drain curd cheese in a sieve over a bowl.  In a mixing bowl, add flour, dry yeast, salt, one egg and warm milk.  Knead well and leave aside covered with a dish cloth for about 45 minutes for it to rise to double its volume.

For the filling, beat sugar, vanilla sugar and 4 eggs together until creamy.  Add drained curd cheese, semolina and marinated apricots (without marinade).  Melt butter in a small pot over low heat.  Preheat oven to convection 200° C or fan 180° C.

On a floured worktop, roll out dough to a large circle with a thickness of 5 mm and a diameter of 40 cm.  Place dough on a baking try which is lined with baking paper.  Brush dough evenly with melted butter.

Spread half quantity of the filling to the centre of dough, leaving a "free of filling" border (about 12 to 14 cm) from the edges.  Cut the border towards the edge of the filling into 6 segments. Take one dough segment and spread it out thinly to a size which is able to cover the whole filling.  Place it over the filling and brush top evenly with melted butter.

Then, spread the balance of filling on top and cover with a 2nd dough segment which has been spread out thinly, just enough to cover the filling.  Brush top evenly with melted butter.  Repeat procedure (without adding filling) with the other dough segments until a round shaped dough is formed, brushing with the melted butter after each segment.

Leave aside for about 15 minutes to rise.  Bake in oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon powder while the cake is still warm.

Serve with stewed fruits.

Happy Baking!