A pull-apart bread layered with generous amounts of sirene cheese and yogurt, baked until golden on top and gooey with melted cheese inside. Bulgaria's ultimate cheese bread.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: baking pan, pull-apart style
Garnishes: butter brush, sesame seeds (optional)
Accompaniments: yogurt, fresh vegetables
Instructions
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1
Dissolve yeast in warm milk with sugar. Let it foam for 10 minutes. Mix flour and salt, add the yeast mixture, egg, and oil. Knead into a soft dough.
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2
Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
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3
Mix crumbled sirene cheese with yogurt to create the filling.
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4
Divide dough into 8-10 pieces. Roll each piece into a thin circle, brush with melted butter, and spread a generous layer of cheese-yogurt filling.
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5
Stack the filled circles in a greased baking pan, layering them slightly offset so the bread can be pulled apart after baking.
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6
Brush the top with egg yolk wash. Bake at 180C for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve warm while the cheese is still gooey.
Did You Know?
In Bulgarian villages, tutmanik was traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven the morning after bread-making day, using leftover dough and whatever cheese was on hand.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- baking pan
- mixing bowl
- rolling pin
Garnishing
butter brush, sesame seeds (optional)
Accompaniments
yogurt, fresh vegetables
The Story Behind Тутманик
Tutmanik occupies the beloved space between bread and pastry in Bulgarian cuisine. Unlike banitsa, which uses phyllo dough, tutmanik is made with a yeasted dough that yields a softer, bread-like texture. It represents the everyday cheese baking tradition of Bulgarian households, where fresh sirene cheese was always available and bread dough was a daily staple.
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