Tyropita strifti - spiral cheese pie
Ingredients
200g feta cheese, crumbled
100g kefalograviera, grated
200g ricotta
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp dried mint
½ cup fresh mint, chopped
black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs sesame seeds
1 batch of filo pastry
Method
Source: Supplied
Heat oven to 180C and oil a 30 cm shallow baking dish.
In a bowl add the cheeses, eggs, mint and pepper and mix to combine. Let rest while you prepare the pastry.
Cut the pastry into 6 pieces and shape each one into an oblong shape (approx. 10 x 20cm) making it as flat as you can, using your hands. Oil each piece and make into 2 piles of 3 (rest for 15 mins).
Roll each pile into a long piece of pastry to about 5mm thickness. Using your hands gently stretch the pastry working around each side until it is very thin and you can see through it. If needed, drizzle the pastry with olive oil to ensure it is remains soft and easy to stretch. The filo piece should now be about 70 x 100cm. Repeat with the other half of the pastry.
Take one filo sheet and brush it with olive oil and add filling along the length of its base. Roll this up to form a sausage shape about 5cm wide making sure it as tight as possible (don’t worry about little tears, they become air pockets and add crunch!). Place this in the baking dish starting in the middle and roll it around itself to form a spiral. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Add this to complete the spiral and fill the baking dish.
Brush with olive oil and with a sharp knife poke some air holes 5cm apart along the spiral. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Wet your hands and sprinkle the top of the pie with water. Bake until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.
