Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Northern Greek Kiki's Cheese Pitta- 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber

* Exported from MasterCook *

Northern Greek Kiki's Cheese Pitta

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 5 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : LowCal (Less than 300 cals) LowerCarbs

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 phyllo dough sheets
3 tablespoons olive oil -- mixed with equal amount melted butter
3/4 cup shredded mild hard cheese -- such as Gruyere (3 ounces)
5 ounces feta cheese -- soaked 10 minutes in cold water, then drained and crumbled
Batter:
1/2 small egg -- well-beaten (yes! one-half egg)
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon melted butter
freshly ground black pepper

About 1 hour before serving, preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 14 to 15-inch shallow pie dish or pizza pan, preferably lined copper or black steel, with the oil and butter mixture. Stack the phyllo sheets, lightly brushing each with oil mixed butter, and top with an even layer of the Gruyere and feta. Trim pastry edges to be even with the rim of the dish.

In a bowl, combine the egg, milk, flour, and butter, mixing well. Brush or spoon over the entire pie. Bake 15 minutes.

With a knife, score through the phyllo sheets, making 2-inch squares. Continue baking until golden brown all over, about 30 minutes longer. Sprinkle lightly with pepper. Let pie rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

AuthorNote: Of all the cheese pittas (Greek savoury pie) I've eaten over the years, one of the best was served at a little stone restaurant called Kiki's in the Zagoria region of northern Greece. Zagoria is a beautiful area of gorges, forests, rivers, and mountains of layered rocks, with a stunning monastery perched on a peak 3,200 feet above sea level.

Kiki's restaurant, in the tiny hamlet of Monodendri, is nationally famous for its open-faced fried pies - thin, crisp, fragrant, and warm slices of phyllo covered with a layer of shredded Gruyere-type cheese and crumbled feta. The top has an unusual glossy sheen, impossible if the pie is only fried.

No one but Kiki's knows the recipe for this pitta, and she won't let anyone watch her prepare it. So, when I arrived with my Greek colleague Aglaia Kremezi, we did some heavy-duty detective work. As we waited for out pitta (made from scratch, it took forty minutes), we studied the simple restaurant menu; pitta, veal or pork chops, salad, feta, beer or wine. There was nothing else. But then we noticed a man entering the establishment carrying a large crate of eggs. Aglaia asked Kiki if there were eggs on the menu. Kiki solemnly shook her head.

Aha! Perhaps she used a very thin egg batter. Back in my Connecticut kitchen, I experimented, making the pitta various ways. After a few trials, I came up with an approximation of Kiki's version. I also figured out a way to make the pita in the oven, thus decreasing the amount of butter.

Serve hot in small pieces with drinks, or as lunch for two with a glass of wine.

Cuisine:
"Greek"
Source:
"Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert, 1994"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"Sept 2011"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 293 Calories; 23g Fat (79.4% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 477mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0