Traditional pies (Paradosiakes Pites) of Thessaloniki
Ingredients
DOUGH
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ espresso cup olive oil
2 tsp vinegar
1 + ½ cup warm water
——————————————————
1 cup flour (for the filo pastry sheets)
OILING FILO PASTRY SHEETS
1cup olive oil
Preparation
In a bowl add the flour and add the salt and mix. Make a hole in the middle and add the olive oil and vinegar. Add some warm water and knead with your hands, add enough so that the dough is soft but not sticky. Knead until smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for an hour. Separate the dough in two pieces and roll into balls. Using a thin rolling pin, on a well floured surface, roll out two square filo sheets, sprinkling flour frequently. Oil them, fold them in the middle, oil and fold again, until you form a square (16 small pies). Let the dough rest in the fridge for approximately 20 min. Using the rolling pin, form two filo sheets which must be a bit larger that the size of the baking tray. The lower filo sheet must be larger in order to be folded inwards, so as the upper one to create volume to the pie. Oil a baking tray, 40X35cm, and place the first filo sheet. Sprinkle with some olive oil and place the filling. Lay the second one and crease for volume. Fold the edges inwards. Spread plenty of olive oil all over the pie. Sprinkle with some water. Make shallow incisions forming pieces of any type and size you wish, without reaching the bottom filo sheet. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180οC, at the bottom shelf, for approximately 50 min.
Pieces 12
– CHEESE FILLING
Ingredients
300gr feta cheese
200gr anthotyro (resembling cottage cheese)
3 eggs
Black pepper freshly ground
Preparation
Feta cheese must not be very salty, otherwise you remove the extra salt yourself by deeping it into water. You ground it, together with the anthotyro, add the eggs and pepper, mix all the ingredients together and spread the mixture on the pan.
-SPINACH AND FETA FILLING
Ingredients
½ kg spinach
1/3 cup olive oil
4-5 spring onions finely chopped
½ bunch of dill finely chopped
200gr feta cheese
3 eggs
Salt
Black pepper freshly ground
Preparation
Wash thoroughly the spinach and deep it into boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well. Sauté the spring onions, spinach, dill, salt and pepper. When the filling cools, add cheese and eggs and stir. Spread the filling on the pan.
-LEEK AND MINCED BEEF FILLING
Ingredients
½ kg leeks
400gr minced beef
1/3 cup olive oil
3 eggs
A pinch of nutmeg
Oregano
Salt
Red pepper
Preparation
Use the white parts of the leeks only, wash them and chop them. Sauté the minced beef first, add the leeks, salt, pepper, nutmeg and oregano, stir well and cook for approximately 10 min. Let it cool. Add the eggs and spread the filling on the pan.
