Greek Lamb and Feta Phyllo Pie from Cephalonia - 6g Carbs, 1g Fiber
Recipe By:
Servings: 16
Preparation Time:0:00
Categories: LowerCarbs Meat
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup hot water
1 3/4 pounds boneless leg of lamb -- trimmed of all fat and cut into bite-size pieces
3 garlic cloves -- crushed
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup raw long-grain rice -- soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained
3/4 pound feta cheese -- crumbled
3/4 pound phyllo dough -- defrosted if necessary
3 medium ripe tomatoes -- peeled and sliced
3 hard boiled eggs -- shelled and sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter -- melted
2 tablespoons milk -- to 4 tablespoons, as needed
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with 1 tablespoon of the butter and the hot water over medium heat. Add the lamb, garlic, and parsley; season with salt, cover, and cook until the lamb is tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water to keep the skillet from drying out completely.Add the wine and cook, uncovered, until reduced somewhat, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and toss with the rice and feta cheese until well combined. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Using 1 Tablespoon of the butter for each, grease two 9-inch cake pans very well. Divide the phyllo sheets in half. Layer 4 sheets on the bottom of each pan, brushing each sheet with the remaining the remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Divide the meat mixture between 2 pans and spread over the phyllo sheets. Layer the tomatoes and eggs evenly over the meat in each pan. Cover with 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with olive oil. Brush the top and final layer with the melted butter. Moisten the edges of the phyllo with water and crimp them together with your fingers. Prick the top of the pie with a fork and make a small hole in the center to vent the steam. Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour, pouring a few tablespoons of milk in the center hole of each while it bakes to keep the stuffing moist. Serve hot.
Makes 2 nine-inch pies; 16 servings total
VARIATION: You can make about 50 individual meat pies by cutting the phyllo into 3x14-inch strips. Place a heaping teaspoon of the meat mixture at one end and fold one corner over to the opposite edge of the phyllo to form a triangle. Continue this way up the strip until you end up with a triangular pie. Continue the preparation. These individual triangles freeze well and make very appetizing 'mezedes' for surprise guests. Just heat them up on a baking sheet if still frozen.
Author Note: Cephalonia (Keffalinia) is an Ionian island off the western coast of Greece. During the Middle Ages, it belonged to the Norman kings of Sicily before becoming a Frankish fief. Italian overlords ruled the island from 1155 to 1478, first under the Arsenio family and then the Tocchi family. The Turks captured the island and held it for twenty years, until the Venetians supplanted them in 1500, ruling until 1797. As a result, the influence of Italian cookery is still felt today in the island's cuisine. Typically, this preparation, called 'kreatopitta Kefalonitiki', is served on the Feast Day of of Analipseos (Ascension Day) and on the day of Apokreos, before the beginning of Lent. This recipe comes from a Greek neighbor in Arlington, Massachusetts, where I once lived. There are very many versions of this pie; other cooks might mix meats, or use kefalotyri instead of feta cheese, or they may include potatoes.
Cuisine: "Greek"
Source: "Little Foods of the Mediterranean by Clifford Wright, 2003"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi): "Sept 2012"
Yield: "2 nine-inch pies"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 318 Calories; 21g Fat (71.8% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 94mg Cholesterol; 379mg Sodium
Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat
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