Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Diane Kochilas's book Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share from the Mediterranean Table. Kochilas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
To read more about Kochilas and Greek cuisine, click here.
Onions, cheese, and yogurt pies abound in the north of Greece, especially in shepherds' communities where dairy products are daily staples. This recipe is culled from that tradition, but instead of preparing a whole sheet pan with homemade phyllo, I have reworked it to make it accessible and more in tune with the meze style of eating.
• For the greatest authenticity and flavor, Kochilas recommends using red onions. • Kefalotiri is a hard, sharp Greek cheese and Myzithra is a soft, mild variety. If replacing the Myzithra with ricotta, be sure to drain it. Kochilas recommends Mt. Vikos brand Greek cheeses. • Greek yogurt is thicker and richer-tasting than American varieties. Look for the Fage Total brand in many supermarkets and delis. If substituting an American variety, use full-fat and drain it before using: Put one cup of yogurt in a colander lined with cheesecloth. Set the colander over a bowl and allow to drain for two to three hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator. • Phyllo is composed of numerous paper-thin layers of dough. Oil is brushed between the layers so that the dough bakes up flaky and crisp. Sold frozen, phyllo should be defrosted overnight in the refrigerator and then left for several hours at room temperature to become malleable. Kochilas says that it's important to buy phyllo from a shop with heavy volume to ensure freshness — dough that's seen better days can become brittle and dried out, or soggy and stuck together. If this happens, simply discard the damaged sheets and use the rest of the package. Unused phyllo can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, but cannot be refrozen.
