MAKARONOPITA - Some regions in Greece are simply known for their amazing Pites (plural for Pita or pie). Unfortunately, Corfu (the island I come from) is not one of them. Pites are characterized by Phyllo Pastry (either the paper-thin store bought variety or the hand-rolled thicker version) baked with some sort of filling inside. Unlike the predominantly sweet pie variations we know (& love) in North America, Greek Pites are usually savoury and the fillings & recipes vary greatly from region to region. Although there is little pita-making expertise in my immediate family, I do have extended family who hail from one of the greatest and well-known pita-making regions in Greece - Ipiros. So, over the next few months Im going to call upon the relatives to share their recipes with me and Im going to try my hand at replicating the flavours I recall from my visits back home. This Makaronopita (aka macaroni pie) is a good beginner one to try. Use the thickest, most tubular pasta you can find to achieve those characteristic pockets. Brush your pan with olive oil and begin to lay out your bottom layers of phyllo pastry (5-8 sheets thick). Make sure each sheet exceeds the dish significantly so that you can fold the overhang sections over the top of the filling. Brush layers with melted butter along the way. For the filling, beat 3 eggs, add 1/2 cup of milk & 2 cups of crumbled feta (be generous with the feta!) + salt & pepper to taste. Roll the pasta in the mixture then pour the mixture into the lined shell. Fold the phyllo extensions over the top, then finish it off by layering additional phyllo sheets on the top and tucking them carefully into the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-50 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden colour. Stay tuned for more Pita-making kitchen adventures in the months ahead!
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 16:10:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015