Eggplant Pie
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Ingredients for the phyllo:
Ingredients for the filling:
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Making the filling
Start with the filling so it cools down while you make roll the phyllo. This way your phyllo will not become soggy from the hot filling. In a medium sized pot place the olive oil and the onions and sauté in medium heat till the onions become soft. Add the eggplant cubes and stir so they don't get stuck at the bottom of the pot. Sauté until golden and soft. Add the trahana and keep stirring lowering the heat. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Add a lid on and simmer until most of the water is absorbed. You want the mixture to be thick. Remove from the heat and add the cheese stirring so it melts evenly. In a glass mix the milk with the eggs and pour over the mixture stirring quickly so the eggs don't get cooked. Set aside on a cool surface to cool down and let's make the phyllo.
Making the phyllo.
In a container place the flour and make a hole in the middle. In it add the olive oil, salt, vinegar and water and keep knitting. The dough should be soft and elastic but not sticky on your hands. Remove from the container and place on a hard surface. We prefer a counter or a table where you will roll the phyllo later. Add some flour to the surface and keep knitting the dough bringing the sides towards the middle. After you knit for 5 to 10 minutes make a a loaf out of it. Take a clean wet towel and place it on the top so it doesn't dry and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. After the dough and you have rested it is time to roll the phyllo. Take your dough and with your hands roll it in a big sausage shape that you will cut to make 12 small balls 12cm thick. Each one of those will make you a phyllo of 45cm in diameter. Take the rolling pin (to make phyllo you need a rolling pin as showing the pictures on your right. If you can't find one you can make one or you can use the usual rolling pin although I am not sure how this will make a large enough phyllo) and press the little ball to flatten it out into a circle. After it is large enough roll it on the rolling pin and starting from the middle work your hands towards the opposite ends pressing while you move towards the outside. Roll it out. Turn the phyllo and roll it on the pin again and repeat. You will see the phyllo actually getting into shape and becoming bigger. Every two rolls dust the phyllo with some flour so it does not get stuck on the pin or to itself. Every time you make a phyllo place it immediately on the tray as described below. Don't worry if it gets uneven or with holes...it happens...to even the most experienced ones...takes time and practice to master it.
Constructing the pie
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius Drizzle some olive oil on the tray and brush the bottom and sides. Place one phyllo on the bottom covering the tray and leaving some phyllo outside the tray. If you have not managed to open a large phyllo that's ok the pie will still be delicious but it will not have the extra braid that it shows in the picture. Drizzle some olive oil on the phyllo and add one more. Repeat adding 4 phyllo on the bottom. Add 1/3 of the filling after the 4th phyllo. Add one phyllo on top and drizzle with olive oil. Add another one and then again 1/3 of the filling. Repeat the procedure adding two more phyllo. You have now used 8 phyllo. Add the last filling. Now you add the last 4 phyllo drizzling with olive oil after every phyllo you add. After you have added the last phyllo it is time to make the braid. Drizzle some olive oil to the phyllo that is hanging from the sides and with your hands twist it towards the centre right moving along the tray as shown in the picture. After you are done take the two egg yolks and brush the pie all over. With a knife carve the pie in triangular pieces. Makes 8 large pieces but you can carve it into smaller ones if you wish. You are done! Now it is up to your oven to do the work. Place it in the oven for approximately 75 minutes. Now...ovens vary...so...when it is golden brown on the top and when you lift it a little and carefully to check the bottom and if you see it being golden brown it is ready! Remove it from the oven after it is baked and let it cool down. Please do not leave it inside the oven...it will become soggy. Enjoy!!!
Start with the filling so it cools down while you make roll the phyllo. This way your phyllo will not become soggy from the hot filling. In a medium sized pot place the olive oil and the onions and sauté in medium heat till the onions become soft. Add the eggplant cubes and stir so they don't get stuck at the bottom of the pot. Sauté until golden and soft. Add the trahana and keep stirring lowering the heat. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Add a lid on and simmer until most of the water is absorbed. You want the mixture to be thick. Remove from the heat and add the cheese stirring so it melts evenly. In a glass mix the milk with the eggs and pour over the mixture stirring quickly so the eggs don't get cooked. Set aside on a cool surface to cool down and let's make the phyllo.
Making the phyllo.
In a container place the flour and make a hole in the middle. In it add the olive oil, salt, vinegar and water and keep knitting. The dough should be soft and elastic but not sticky on your hands. Remove from the container and place on a hard surface. We prefer a counter or a table where you will roll the phyllo later. Add some flour to the surface and keep knitting the dough bringing the sides towards the middle. After you knit for 5 to 10 minutes make a a loaf out of it. Take a clean wet towel and place it on the top so it doesn't dry and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. After the dough and you have rested it is time to roll the phyllo. Take your dough and with your hands roll it in a big sausage shape that you will cut to make 12 small balls 12cm thick. Each one of those will make you a phyllo of 45cm in diameter. Take the rolling pin (to make phyllo you need a rolling pin as showing the pictures on your right. If you can't find one you can make one or you can use the usual rolling pin although I am not sure how this will make a large enough phyllo) and press the little ball to flatten it out into a circle. After it is large enough roll it on the rolling pin and starting from the middle work your hands towards the opposite ends pressing while you move towards the outside. Roll it out. Turn the phyllo and roll it on the pin again and repeat. You will see the phyllo actually getting into shape and becoming bigger. Every two rolls dust the phyllo with some flour so it does not get stuck on the pin or to itself. Every time you make a phyllo place it immediately on the tray as described below. Don't worry if it gets uneven or with holes...it happens...to even the most experienced ones...takes time and practice to master it.
Constructing the pie
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius Drizzle some olive oil on the tray and brush the bottom and sides. Place one phyllo on the bottom covering the tray and leaving some phyllo outside the tray. If you have not managed to open a large phyllo that's ok the pie will still be delicious but it will not have the extra braid that it shows in the picture. Drizzle some olive oil on the phyllo and add one more. Repeat adding 4 phyllo on the bottom. Add 1/3 of the filling after the 4th phyllo. Add one phyllo on top and drizzle with olive oil. Add another one and then again 1/3 of the filling. Repeat the procedure adding two more phyllo. You have now used 8 phyllo. Add the last filling. Now you add the last 4 phyllo drizzling with olive oil after every phyllo you add. After you have added the last phyllo it is time to make the braid. Drizzle some olive oil to the phyllo that is hanging from the sides and with your hands twist it towards the centre right moving along the tray as shown in the picture. After you are done take the two egg yolks and brush the pie all over. With a knife carve the pie in triangular pieces. Makes 8 large pieces but you can carve it into smaller ones if you wish. You are done! Now it is up to your oven to do the work. Place it in the oven for approximately 75 minutes. Now...ovens vary...so...when it is golden brown on the top and when you lift it a little and carefully to check the bottom and if you see it being golden brown it is ready! Remove it from the oven after it is baked and let it cool down. Please do not leave it inside the oven...it will become soggy. Enjoy!!!
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