There’s this whole genre of delicious savory pie that I feel we all need to be eating more of. There are variations on the theme, but they all hail from the Mediterranean / Middle East and are generally made of filo dough, salty cheese and maybe a vegetable (but only maybe). Spanikopita is one variation. This Turkish version is another, though more custardy than its cousin – somewhere between a flan and the thinnest lasagna. It’s absolutely delicious, not hard to make, and, as always when you make something out of filo, completely impressive.
Since I’m currently ovenless and in a much more practical mood than usual, I’d also like to point out that this “pie” freezes very well in adorable, individual packages for your future meals on the fly. And I’d also like to dispel the partial myth that filo is extremely difficult to work with and therefore not worth your time. Maybe sometimes, when you’re really aiming for perfection, that’s true. But in cases like this, when you’re just layering it up and then pouring custard over it, you do not need to be scared. So what if it dries out a little bit while you’re working with it? Also so what if it rips? In the end, once the egg portion of the dish goes on, no one will ever know you’re not a filo master. And I certainly won’t tell.
Once you’ve acquired the necessary kasseri cheese (which is seriously the most difficult task in this entire recipe), assembling this in a casserole dish is the only step between you and a delicious dinner. Just like a lasagna, this pie also creates those crispy edges that everyone at the table is going to be fighting for. Smooth on the interior, crunchy on the exterior. Salty from the cheese but with a hint of sweetness.
I can envision quite a few scenarios where this pie would be the perfect thing to eat. For me, I opted to eat it hot from the pan with a lightly dressed side salad. It’s also good room temperature! After eating through this for a few days I froze individual squares of the rest and enjoyed my new favorite pie for weeks afterwards. It would also be a great thing to eat alongside a full Mediterranean mezze platter for a dinner party. Eat it by yourself, feed it to others, this pie is your new best – and very impressive – friend.
Ingredients
- 7 oz. feta cheese
- 7 oz. cottage or farmer's cheese
- 1/2-3/4 cup finely chopped dill
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cups milk, warmed
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 6 sheets filo pastry
- 7 oz. Turkish kasseri cheese or mature cheddar, grated
Instructions
- For the filling, blend the feta cheese with the cottage or farmer's cheese and dill.
- Mix the melted butter, milk and eggs.
- Use a rectangular baking dish or pan smaller than the sheets of filo (I used a 9x13" baking dish). Open the sheets only when you are ready to use them and keep them in a pile so that they do not dry out.
- Lay a sheet in the greased baking dish or pan, fitting it into the corners and letting the edges come up the side sand overhang. With a ladle, pour a little of the milk and egg mixture (a little less than a sixth, as you will need enough for 6 layers with a larger amount for the last one, on top) all over the sheet and sprinkle with the grated kasseri or cheddar. Tear the second sheet into strips and lay them on top. Pour a little of the milk and egg mixture over the strips and sprinkle wit h the grated kasseri or cheddar.
- Lay the third sheet on top - as it is, without tearing it - and spread the cheese filling evenly on top. The fourth and fifth sheets must be torn into strips and each layer sprinkled with the milk and egg mixture and the grated cheese. Fold the overhanging bits of filo over the pie and lay the last sheet on top. Tuck it down into the sides and ladle the remaining milk and egg mixture over it.
- Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown. It puffs up and falls again when you cut it.
- Serve hot, cut into squares.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2016/05/05/turkish-filo-cheese-pie-tepsi-boregi/
