lunaticsinge.com - Greek Pitas & Pies

Cheese and Onion Pie - (makes 8 to 10 servings)

Crust Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2/3 cup olive oil

2/3 to 1 cup water

Filling Ingredients:

2 cups red onion, finely chopped

3 scallions (white & most of the light green parts), thinly sliced

Salt

10 1/2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1 1/2 cups thick sheep's milk yogurt or Drained Yogurt

1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs

Ground black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 to 4 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1. Make the Crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and rub the ingredients between your hands until the texture is like bread crumbs. Gradually add enough water to make a soft, elastic dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can make the dough in a food processor. Combine the dry ingredients and pulse to mix, then, with the motor running, add the liquids. (Let the dough rest in the food processor for 2 to 3 minutes.)

2. Make the Filling: Place the onions and scallions in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Knead with your hands for a few minutes to wilt the onions and scallions, then rinse under very warm running water. Drain well and squeeze with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible.

3. In a large bowl, combine the onions and scallions, cheese, yogurt, bread crumbs and pepper to taste. Taste and add salt if necessary - feta is usually quite salty. Stir in the eggs.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Oil the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sesame seeds.

5. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Take 2 of the pieces and cover the other. Briefly knead together the pieces and roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a sheet large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish, with a 1/2-inch overhang. Fit the dough into the dish and add the filling.

6. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a rectangle just a little larger than the dish and place it over the filling.

7. Fold the overhanging bottom crust inward. Pinch the two edges together, turn them inward and press to seal, making a neat cord around the edge of the pan. Flatten the cord with the tines of a fork, to prevent it from sticking out, because it will burn during baking.

8. If you like, with a pastry wheel, score parallel lines on the top of the crust, crossing them to make diamond-shaped patterns on the pie, being careful not to cut through the crust. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.

9. Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust pulls away from the sides of the pan is golden brown on top. Let cool before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Zucchini and Eggplant Country Pies - (Makes 16 small pies)

Crust Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/3 cup olive oil

1 2/3 to 2 cups warm water

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Filling Ingredients:

1 lb. zucchini (4 to 5 medium, grated

1 large eggplant, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cups onions, chopped

3 ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled, & diced or canned diced tomatoes, drained

1 to 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2/3 cup coarse or fine bulgur

2 1/2 cups pecorino Romano cheese, grated

3 large eggs

Cornmeal

3 tablespoons milk

1. Make the Crust: Place the flours and yeast in a food processor. Mix for a few seconds to combine, then add the oil and 1 cup of the water and mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the salt and more water as needed to make a soft dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 to 8 minutes with lightly oiled hands, until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball. Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it, turning to coat on all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume. (You can also refrigerate overnight, but allow it to rise at room temperature for 2 hours before proceeding.)

3. Make the Filling: Place the zucchini and eggplant in separate colanders, salt them generously and let drain in the sink (or on two plates) for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.

4. In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat until translucent, about 10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the zucchini and eggplant with your hands and add them to the skillet. Increase the heat to high and sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of the pepper or 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper flakes, and cook for about 2 minutes more; the mixture should still be wet. Add the bulgur, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. (You can prepare the filling to this point up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate.)

5. Add the cheese to the filling taste and adjust the seasonings. Break the eggs into a small bowl, reserving a tablespoon or so of egg white in a mall cup. Add the eggs to the filling and stir to combine.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Oil large baking sheets and sprinkle them lightly with cornmeal.

7. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 16 pieces. Cover all but 1 piece with plastic wrap. Sprinkle the piece of dough with flour and flatten it with your hands. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 7-inch round. (It doesn't matter if it's not a perfect circle.)

8. Spread 3 tablespoons of the filling on one side of the dough round, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the dough over to cover the filling and press the edges together with a fork to seal. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

9. Mix the reserved egg white with the milk and brush on the pies. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature.