Why it works: Cheese and feta cheese match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 113 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Egg, Cheese and Phyllo Casserole
2–3Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Mix 6 eggs, grated butter, both cheeses, and yogurt.
Assemble
Butter a pan.
Lay a layer of phyllo dough in the pan.
Spread a layer of the mixture over the phyllo.
Alternate layers of phyllo and mixture until finished.
Finish with a layer of phyllo dough on top.
Bake and serve
Mix the last egg with soda water and stir well.
Pour the egg mixture over the banitsa, ensuring no dry phyllo.
Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 40 minutes or until golden.
Cut the banitsa into serving pieces.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Feta Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Phyllo Dough | not in our table | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Cheese + feta cheesetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together113 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
-
Cheese + buttertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,962 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Phyllo dough + feta cheesetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together27 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Feta cheese + yogurttop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together148 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Feta cheese + buttertop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together241 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-decalactone (peach, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Phyllo dough
- Forms thin, crisp layers that separate the filling and become flaky when baked.
- Eggs
- Bind the filling and set during baking, giving the banitsa a sliceable structure.
- Kashkaval or feta cheese
- Provides salty, rich flavor and creamy melting texture within the layers.
- Butter
- Adds fat that helps phyllo layers crisp and brown golden in the oven.
- Yogurt
- Adds moisture and mild acidity that keeps the filling tender.
- Soda water
- Adds carbonation to the egg mixture, lightening the topping as it bakes.
The step that matters
Pouring the egg mixture over the layers. Phyllo dries out quickly, so any unmoistened sheets stay brittle and dry. Thoroughly soaking the layers with the egg mixture helps them steam and then crisp evenly instead of leaving dry patches.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes
Cheese Making50 recipes
Cheese Fritters34 recipes
Cheese Omelette31 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.