Macedonian Leek and Walnut Phyllo Pies

Macedonian Leek and Walnut Phyllo Pies

These tasty little phyllo pies slices make a wonderful finger food for a meze. The use of cheese, leeks, and walnuts are typical in northern Greece. They can be made into all kinds of shapes like "cigars," pinwheels, little cups, or small standalone pies. Best of all, they can be cooked well in advance and stored in the refrigerator. This recipe is for a single pie is a cinch to prepare without having to master the difficult art of shaping delicate paper-thin phyllo dough sheets.

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Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Meze

Cuisine: Greek

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

10-inch skillet
9x9-inch baking pan or casserole
Baking rack for cooling

Ingredients

2 Leeks; roots, green sections, and tough outer leaves removed
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 pinch Kosher salt
2 cups Fresh cheeses mixed (farmers cheese, drained cottage cheese, ricotta)
1 cup Hard sheep milk cheese, mixed & grated (Asiago, Pecorino, Parmesan)
1½ cup Shelled walnut (5½ oz), chopped fine
¼ cup Fresh mint, shredded (or 3 tbsp dried)
⅛ tsp Fresh ground black pepper
14 sheets Phyllo dough, store bought
Olive oil for brushing phyllo

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Instructions

Prep - Clean leeks by removing the root tip and green sections. Quarter them and slice crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Place in colander, break apart rings and rinse thoroughly several times to remove any grit. Squeeze dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add leaks with ½ tsp salt, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Let cool in the colander.
When cool, work in batches to squeeze liquid from leeks. Place in a large bowl. Add in cheeses, nuts, and mint. Add salt to taste and mix everything together with your hands. Add plenty of pepper. Makes a little over 3 cups.
Cook - Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a shallow 9-inch square baking pan or casserole. Unroll 2 phyllo sheets and lay one over the pan, pushing down to line the bottom and sides. Let the phyllo hang over the sides. Lightly brush sheet with oil. Cover with the second sheet and brush that one too. Place the filling across the bottom next. Loosely fold phyllo hanging over the sides over the filling. Brush tops with oil. Unroll 2 more sheets of phyllo and cut each in half. Lay one pieces of cut phyllo over the filling and brush with oil. Continue doing the same process with the next 3 sheets. Trim any hanging over the side with a small knife. Oil the top one last time and prick top a few times. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (220°C), then reduce heat to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 45 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
Serve - Transfer baking pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes. With a serrated knife, cut into 9 slices. Serve warm or store °in refrigerator overnight before reheating in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 10-15 minutes to warm through. Cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving on a platter.

Notes

Store bought frozen chopped leeks work perfectly fine in this dish.
Be sure to clean fresh leeks thoroughly so any residual sand won't ruin the dish.
Cooked slices may be frozen. Thaw and place slices on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and bake for 10 minutes.

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