Banitsa cake with pumpkin (Bulgaria)

Preparation
Mixture

• Sprinkle the flour onto the work surface and create a small well in the middle

• Add the salt and oil

• Add some lukewarm water and knead into a dough

• Continue to add lukewarm water until the dough is no longer absorbent

• Dough should be neither too firm nor too soft

• Knead the dough in all directions until it is soft and small bubbles appear

• Leave the dough to stand for approx. 25 minutes
Rolling out the dough into individual sheets

• Take a small amount of dough and form three balls

• Brush with melted butter and stick back together

• Roll out the balls in all directions using a rolling pin

• Keep turning the dough as it is being rolled

• To prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface or the rolling pin, use generous amounts of flour

• Once the first sheet is slightly larger, wrap this around the rolling
pin and roll again, this time with the other side facing outwards

• Use more flour if necessary

• The dough can also be made thinner/stretched out by hand whilst being rolled

• The dough should be as thin as possible and evenly rolled

• With the rest of the dough, make further sheets using the same method
Filling (sweet variety)

• Grate the very ripe pumpkin and fry in a little butter

• Add a little cinnamon, the chopped nuts, sugar and a pinch of salt

• Mix well and spread evenly onto the dough sheets, brushing these with melted butter first

• Roll up the dough sheets and arrange in a spiral in a greased baking tin

• Bake the cake in a moderately heated oven (150 – 180 °C)

• The cake is ready when the spiral has turned golden brown

Serve warm, with icing sugar if desired