Kreatopita

A meat pie whose filling is braised and then cooled completely, because hot filling steams the pastry from the inside.

Lamb. Not vegetarian — contains lamb.

Ingredients

• 800 g lamb shoulder, in 1 cm dice
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 150 ml white wine
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 100 g long-grain rice
• 1 bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 bunch mint, chopped
• 150 ml olive oil
• 1 packet filo pastry, about 400 g
• 300 ml stock or water
• salt and pepper

Method

1. THE FILLING GOES IN COLD AND THAT IS NOT PATIENCE FOR ITS OWN SAKE. Hot filling puts steam into the pastry from the inside the moment the lid goes on, and the top sheets lift away damp while the base turns to paste. Cold, the pastry crisps from both directions. It can be made the day before, and is better for it.
2. THE MEAT IS DICED, NOT MINCED. Mince packs into a dense layer that cuts like pate; 1 cm dice stays as distinct pieces with the rice and onion between them, and the slice holds together without being solid.
3. THE RICE IS THE BINDER AND IS COOKED IN THE BRAISE. It takes up the liquid the lamb gives off, which is the same liquid that would otherwise ruin the base.
4. Lamb patted dry. Half the oil in a heavy pan over a high heat, lamb browned in two batches and lifted out.
5. Onions in the same pan, 10 minutes until soft and golden. Garlic 1 minute.
6. Wine in, bubbled away. Lamb back with the allspice, cinnamon, bay, stock, salt and pepper.
7. Lid on, simmered gently 1 hour until the lamb is tender.
8. Rice stirred in raw with another 100 ml of water, lid back on, 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and the pan is nearly dry. IT MUST BE NEARLY DRY -- any free liquid here ends up in the pastry.
9. Herbs through, then spread on a wide tray and COOLED COMPLETELY. Two hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
10. A tin oiled, half the filo laid in, each sheet brushed, overhanging. Rest under a damp cloth.
11. Cold filling spread level, overhang folded in, remaining sheets on top each oiled.
12. Scored into portions through the top layers, a little water flicked over, and baked at 180C for 50 minutes.
13. Rested 20 minutes before cutting through.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Greece · All recipes