Meat Pie from Cephalonia
Instructions:
- This recipe, from native Cephalonian Roussa Melet.
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 1⁄2 pound boneless lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 1⁄2 pound lean boneless pork, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 1⁄2 pound lean boneless beef, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⁄4 cup medium-grain rice
- 11⁄2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (canned are fine)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1⁄2 cup grated kefalotyri cheese or any hard yellow cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 Afrato phyllo
or commercial phyllo, at room temperature
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meats, in batches if necessary. Remove from the heat and let cool enough to handle. Shred the meats by hand.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, then the rice, and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir together. Add the water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the mixture until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture with the egg, cheese, salt, pepper, and parsley. Oil a 15-inch-round baking pan that is 2 inches deep. Divide the phyllo into 4 equal balls. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the first ball into a circle slightly larger than the pan. Place it in the pan and brush it generously with olive oil. Do the same with the next ball
- Spread the filling evenly over the phyllo, then roll out and layer the remaining 2 phyllo balls the same way, brushing each generously with olive oil. Join the top and bottom edges by pinching them together and roll around the pan to form a thick rim. Score the pie into diamondshaped wedges or into squares without cutting all the way to the bottom of the pie and bake until golden, about 50 minutes.
- Let cool for at least 35 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.