Sonias Phyllo And Feta Torte With Dill And Nutmeg Recipes

FETA-AND-HERB PHYLLO TART

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
• Brush one of the phyllo sheets lightly with melted butter and place, butter side-up, in a 9-inch/25-centimeter round tart pan. Press the pastry into the corners and then brush another sheet of phyllo in the same way, pressing it into the pan at a 45-degree angle to the first sheet. Continue twice more (using 4 sheets total), covering the base and sides of the pan with a uniformly thick layer of phyllo. Trim the overhanging pastry, but not completely, leaving 1/2-inch/1 centimeter of phyllo over the edges of the tart. Set both the pan and pastry scraps aside.
• Take another sheet of phyllo (unbuttered this time) and position the long side in front of you. Fold the bottom edge up to form a fold 1 inch/3 centimeters wide. Continue folding the pastry in alternating directions (as if you were making a concertina fan) until you end up with 1 long pleated strip. Repeat with the remaining sheets of pastry in the same way. (If the pastry breaks or tears, pat it back into place and continue as if the torn pieces were still connected.)
• Starting from the middle of the tart tin, coil 1 folded strip from the middle outwards to start forming a rough snail, spreading the strips roughly 1/4 inch/1/2 to 1 centimeter apart. (You want visible gaps between the phyllo strips, so you can fill them with chunks of feta and the custard.) Meet the end of the pastry with the second strip and continue the snail in the same way until the 4 sheets have been used. You may still have some space around the edge, which you can fill with the scrap trimmings, folding them in the same way as best you can.
• Brush the pastry carefully with remaining butter and set any pastry coils upright if they've fallen over. Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the pastry is a dark golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix feta, pecorino and herbs until blended and set aside.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream and milk with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper.
• Gently press cheese and herbs in between the gaps of the phyllo pastry, being careful not to break the pastry base. Pour the custard over evenly, drizzling in just a little at a time and allowing it to soak evenly into all the gaps in the pastry. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the custard has set and the cheese has browned. Remove from the oven and serve warm, cut into slices.

SPINACH AND FETA BOREK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine spinach, parsley, dill, scallions, oregano and eggs and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper, then add Maras pepper, feta and Manchego, and stir well.
• Brush a 10-inch pie plate or skillet with lightly with olive oil. (You can also use a 9-by-13-inch pan for a rectangular pie.) Line with 1 sheet of phyllo, letting the excess fall over the sides of the pan. Brush phyllo lightly with olive oil, then follow with 2 more sheets, brushing each with oil.
• Pour the filling into the phyllo-lined pan, spreading it to the edges with the back of a spoon. Top with 3 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with olive oil before adding the next.
• Fold the ends of the phyllo back over the top and toward the center of the borek, and brush with oil. With the palm of your hand, press down on top layer to make the pie compact. (Alternatively, roll the excess toward the center to form a rim.)
• Bake for 30 minutes, until golden. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges. The borek is also good served at room temperature.

CABBAGE, FETA AND DILL PIROSHKI

Steps:

• Make the dough: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment (or in a large bowl with a wooden spoon), combine the milk and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand 5 minutes until foamy. With the mixer on low speed, add 3 cups/385 grams of the flour, the egg, the butter and the salt, and mix until combined. Increase the speed to medium, and mix until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. The dough will be soft but should not stick to your fingers. If it does, add more flour by tablespoons. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• While the dough rises, make the filling: In a large (12-inch) high-sided skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, cabbage and a few generous pinches of salt, stir to coat with butter and cook, stirring frequently, until the cabbage is soft and tender but not browned, and all the liquid has cooked off, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then stir in the feta, dill, and more salt and pepper to taste.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Gently punch down the dough, transfer to a work surface and divide into 15 pieces, each about 1 1/2 ounces/45 grams. Roll the pieces into balls, then cover them loosely with a clean dish towel. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into a 4-inch/10-centimeter circle using a rolling pin. (If your dough is particularly sticky, you can dust your work surface with a bit of flour, but adding too much flour makes rolling the dough difficult, so be cautious.) Add 2 to 3 tablespoons filling to the center of each dough round. Pull the dough up and around the filling, pinching the dough firmly to enclose the filling. Place seam-side down, 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. (The piroshki can be made up to this point and frozen for up to 1 month. Freeze on the baking sheet, then transfer to a resealable freezer storage bag. Bake as directed below, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the total baking time.)
• Place the racks in the top and bottom third of the oven, and heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray, cover each pan of piroshki and let stand at room temperature until puffy, 30 minutes. Brush the tops of each with egg wash and sprinkle with flaky salt, if using, or kosher salt. Bake until browned, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans and switching oven racks halfway through baking. Transfer the piroshki from the sheet pan to a wire rack and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PHYLLO RICOTTA TORTE WITH SPRING HERBS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, ricotta salata, pecorino Romano, eggs, herbs and pepper.
• Brush Bundt pan with some of the melted butter. Drape 2 sheets of phyllo on top of Bundt pan, poke a hole into phyllo where center tube is and push phyllo into pan to line it. Do this with 2 more sheets placed perpendicular to the first 2 sheets. Continue adding phyllo sheets in this crisscross manner until all sheets are used. Edges of phyllo should hang over edges of pan.
• Scrape half of the ricotta filling into pan. Scatter prosciutto over ricotta, then top with mozzarella. Spoon the rest of the ricotta mixture on top. Fold edges of phyllo over filling. Using a sharp knife, poke at least 20 holes in dough that reach all the way to bottom of pan. Slowly pour melted butter over torte; some butter will seep through holes and some will remain on top of dough.
• Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until torte is puffy and golden brown. Allow torte to cool in pan for 1 to 2 hours before inverting onto a wire rack and slicing. Serve warm.

SONIA'S PHYLLO AND FETA TORTE WITH DILL AND NUTMEG

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, combine feta, cottage cheese, eggs, dill, 2 tablespoons Romano, the nutmeg and pepper and pulse just to combine (you can also use a large bowl and a fork). Mixture should be well combined, but still chunky, not smooth.
• Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Romano into a Bundt pan. Drape a sheet of phyllo on top of Bundt pan, poke a hole into phyllo where center tube is and push phyllo into pan to line it. Do this with another phyllo sheet, but place it perpendicular to first sheet. Continue adding phyllo sheets in this crisscross manner until all sheets are used. Edges of phyllo should hang over edges of pan.
• Scrape cheese filling into pan, and fold edges of phyllo over filling. Using a sharp knife, poke many holes (at least 20) in dough that reach all the way to bottom of pan. Slowly pour melted butter over torte; some butter will seep through holes and some will remain on top of dough.
• Place Bundt pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until torte is puffy and golden brown. Allow torte to cool in pan for 1 to 2 hours before inverting onto a plate and slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature, with honey if desired.