Greek Honey Nut Pie Recipes

GREEK WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F Spray 9-inch glass pie pan with cooking spray. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using sprayed pie pan.
• In medium bowl, mix walnuts, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Pour and evenly spread 1/4 cup of the cooled melted butter over bottom of pie crust. Spread walnut mixture evenly over butter. Drizzle another 1/4 cup butter over nut mixture.
• Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut large slits in several places in top crust for steam to escape. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup butter evenly over top crust.
• Bake at 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. About 5 minutes before removing pie from oven, in 1-quart saucepan, cook honey and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture has a watery consistency.
• Remove pie from oven; place on wire rack. Slowly pour hot honey mixture evenly over top of hot pie, making sure it seeps into slits in top crust. Cool at least 3 hours before serving.
• Just before serving, in small bowl with electric mixer, beat topping ingredients on high speed about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Spoon topping onto individual servings of pie.

GREEK HONEY-NUT PASTRY (BAKLAVA)

Steps:

• Stir together the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Brush the bottom of a 12x71/2x2 inch baking dish with butter. Place 2 sheets of phyllo crosswise in baking dish, overlapping each sheet in the center and allowing the three sides to lap over the edges of the dish. Brush with melted butter. Repeat three times. Sprinkle with 1/2 to 1/3 cup of nuts. Place 2 phyllo sheets and nut layers four more times. Top with six more phyllo sheets. Cut before baking into 5 equal strips widthwise and then cut those on a diagonal to make triangles. Bake at 350* for 50-55 minutes. Pour the cooled syrup over the warm cookies and allow to cool before removing from the pan.
• This sounds confusing if you've never made it -- the idea is to have layers of dough and nuts finishing with dough on top. You can fold your dough however it works best for you as long as you do it in many layers. Remember to keep a slightly damp towel over the phyllo dough as it dries out and crumbles very quickly. You can also use a larger baking dish if it is easier for you, just cut the phyllo to fit.

HONEY PIE FROM SIFNOS

Steps:

• Stir together 1 3/4 cups flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Work in butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in water a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together and is no longer dry. Form into a ball, and wrap with plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface and line a 10-inch pie pan. Trim excess from the edges of the pan. Pierce the bottom of the dough several times with a fork, then set aside.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour, and half of the cinnamon; continue beating until firm peaks form. Beat in honey, then fold in ricotta cheese until evenly combined. Pour the filling into the prepared pie shell and smooth the top of the pie with a moistened knife.
• Bake in preheated oven until the center is set and the top is dark golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Once finished, remove from oven, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon.