Banitsa- Bulgarian cheese pie (Баница) is “a Bulgarian traditional food, prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs” and Bulgarian white cheese “sirene” between filo pastry. Traditionally lucky charms/wishes are put into the pastry on special occasion such as Xmas or New Year’s Eve. Wishes people tend to send into the pies are often happiness, health, money, luck, love etc. Banitsa can be eaten hot or cold. And there are a few variations of it, including pumpkin fillings, apple fillings or spinach… (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banitsa )
I was first introduced to Banitsa while visiting my ant family in Bulgaria in 2009 for Xmas and New year, can’t remember which lucky charm I got that day though. My cousin, in my memory, was addicted to this pie 😡