Kreatopita #BakingBloggers

This savory meat pie is the perfect blending of beef and spices all wrapped up in flaky phyllo dough.

Join the Baking Bloggers as we explore Greek, Turkish and Cypriot baking.....

When Sue of Palatable Pastime announced this month's poll winner I ran right over to my cookbook shelves and grabbed "It's All Greek To Me" by Debbie Matenopoulos.  This cookbook is my go to whenever I want a guaranteed delicious Greek meal.

And this dish was no exception.  It is made in the same fashion as spinach pie but the filling is a delicious mixture of meat and spices.  I used beef but I know it would be even more amazing with lamb.  You could also use venison, pork, chicken or turkey.  Whatever ground meat you happen to have on hand will work.

But before I say anything more about my recipe, let's take a gander at what the others made for us today.

• Alevropita (Greek Thin-Batter Feta Pie) from Tara's Multicultural Table 
• Apricot Sekerpare (Turkish Thumbprint Cookies) from Faith, Hope, Love & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Baked Kabak Mücver from Sneha's Recipe 
• Cypriot Lamb Tavas from Pandemonium Noshery 
• Flaounes (Cypriot Cheese Pastries) from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Kalo Prama - Cypriot Semolina Cake from Food Lust People Love 
• Kreatopita from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Sekerpare from The Schizo Chef  
• Simit (Turkish Sesame Bagels) from Karen's Kitchen Stories 
• Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) from Caroline's Cooking

I can't wait to try some of these wonderful sounding recipes in the near future.  I'm drooling all over my keyboard here.  Excuse me for a moment while I get a napkin please.

The recipe I'm sharing though is the perfect recipe....easy, peasy and delicious!!  The three qualities that, in my humble opinion, makes a recipe perfect.  Thaw out half a package of frozen phyllo dough.  While that is thawing, saute up some leeks and onions with your ground meat and seasonings.  Set this aside while you open your dough and layer it into an 8x8" baking pan, brushing with olive oil between layers.  Stir a beaten egg into the slightly cooled meat mixture and pour it into the phyllo lined baking dish.

Fold over the sides onto the filling and then layer more phyllo sheets, brushing with olive oil as before, onto the top of the pie.  Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and then score the top layer to make it easier to cut once baked.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the crust is golden brown and flaky, your house smells amazing and your stomach is grumbling.

I made mine a complete Greek feast with a Greek Village Salad and a bottle of Kretikos Boutari wine.  It was wonderful. I will tell you more about those items in other posts.

The teen had two friends over when we served this up for dinner.  Luckily we had enough food because they all seemed to enjoy it.

#Greek, #meatpie, #beef, #phyllo, #maindish, #mint, #onedishmeals, #casseroles,

Entree, Beef, One Pan Meals

Greek

Yield: 6 servingsAuthor: Wendy KlikPin it

Kreakopita (Savory Meat Pie)

prep time: 20 minscook time: 50 minstotal time: 70 mins

This savory meat pie is the perfect blending of beef and spices all wrapped up in flaky phyllo dough.

ingredients:

• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced with white and green kept apart
• 1/2 lg. sweet onion, diced
• 1/4  c. water
• 1 lb. ground beef
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch Italian Parsley, chopped
• 1 t. Italian seasoning, crushed
• 4-5 fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 pkg. (1 roll) phyllo dough sheets, thawed

instructions:

1. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 T.  of the olive oil.  When the oil is hot add the white parts of the leek and the onion.  Cook and stir for a few minutes until translucent.  Add the green part of the leeks and cook, stirring for a minute or two.  Add the water and cook, stirring occasionally until liquid is absorbed.  
2. Add the meat.   Season with salt and pepper and break apart with a wooden spoon.  Add the parsley, mint, and Italian seasoning. Cook and stir until crumbly and browned.  Set aside to cool a bit.
3. Spray an 8x8" baking pan with olive oil or baking spray.  Unwrap the dough and remove two sheets.  Cover the remaining sheets with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.  Lay the two sheets into the baking pan with the excess hanging over the side.  Brush the dough that is inside the pan with olive oil.  Add two more sheets, going in the opposite direction.  Brush with olive oil.  Continue in the manner until 10 sheets are layered in the bottom.  
4. Stir the beaten egg into the meat mixture.   Pour the mixture into the baking pan and bring the excess dough over the top of the meat.  Cut the remaining phyllo sheets to fit the top of the pan.  Layer 2 at a time on top of the meat mixture, brushing with oil after each two sheets until all the sheets are used.  Pour any remaining oil over the top.
5. Use a sharp knife and score the dough, down to where it meets the meat, into serving size pieces.
6. Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and flaky.

NOTES:

Adapted from It's All Greek to Me by Debbie Matenopoulos

https://adayinthelifeonthefarm.blogspot.com/2019/03/kreatopita-bakingbloggers.html

Property of A Day in the Life on the Farm

Created using The Recipes Generator