Restaurant Aleria

Aleria is quickly becoming a family favourite. This restaurant cooks great food  in a great atmosphere.
On saturday we feasted on, potatoe soup ganished with chorizo, a lentil salad , with the typical greek smoked pork, lonza, very tasty.
Then I had salmon tartare , my husband went for cooked salmon, both perfect.
To accompany this we drunk my latest discovery, Pappagianakos Savatiano, with a touch of oak.
The savatianno variety has always been considered a little second rate as they make retsina from this variety.
However, this wine is sublime and just demonstrates what a top winemaker Pappagianakos has become.
Some of you are thinking that I have abandoned greek food, not at all, just sometimes it is nice to have a change and not to be totally ethnocentric

Wines of the Peloponnese

On Sunday we spent a pleasant afternoon at the annual tasting of wines from the Peloponnese. This event is free to the public so that they have a chance to taste different wines and talk with the producers.
One of my favourites was the "Argilos" made by the Harlaftis Winery. this shows all the best characteristics of the Aghiorghitiko grape.
I revisited the unusual variety "Kythonitsa" which grows in Laconia.  

Chestnuts

Some time has passed, it is now Autumn. My great friend and winemaker haridimos spent three days at Tsangarada on Mount Pelion and brought me back a present of two kilos of chestnuts.I set to work immediately, cleanig them then cut an insert on the flat side and then boiling them. the sting in the tail is then removing the skin, a long procedure. However , a friend has since told me that I should have roasted and then steamed them for a couple of minutes.
The final result was a stash of beautiful sweet chestnuts which I immediately turned into chestnut puree, freezing half and turning the other half into chestnut ice cream
A take on Delia Smiths recipe , but I added to the puree blended with whipped cream and brandy broken up with home made meringues.
A "Mont Blanc " icecream.

Acropolis View with Dinner

We had dinner a couple of evenings ago at "Strofi" a traditional restaurant / taverna with the most stunning roof top terrace where you feel you can almost touch the Acropolis.
The food was a delightful surprise and was absolutely lived up to the view as did the service.

We started with complimentary dips and a glass of raki , followed by salad and kefetedes (tiny meatballs)

We both chose roasted kid with a delicious tomato sauce with roast potatoes on the side. The portions were huge and it was absolutely stunning food.

This is a superb traditinal Greek restaurant with a modern twist and great value for
money
The mark up on the wines was very sensible too.
All in all a great evening

Blush Apricots

Ambelo Fasoula

I added this photo , so that you can see what they are like. Almost like dark green spaghetti. In fact some times I steam them and serve with freshly chopped tomatoes, basil , a slug of Olive Oil and some vinegar

Traditional Meat Taverna

We spent last weekend with some friends on the island of Evia and enjoyed a fabulous Sunday lunch at the above taverna .
We had baby kid in lemon sauce, the meat just fell off the bones!
Half a chicken in tomatoe sauce with home made chips mmmm
A traditional home made pasta with tomato sauce and cheese on top
Grilled steak
A village cheese pie about the size of a calzone
Fresh greens with lemon juice and ambelo fasoula a very unusual variety of dark green beans , long and thin , that are very highly prized
Several beers and it came to 15 euros a head , a perfect Sunday.
 All eaten under the shade of a huge mulberry tree

Another Great evening at Aleria

This week , it was the turn of the wines of Domaine Skouras to be matched with another inventive menu by the chef of Aleria.
We started with a bowl of cream of onion soup with just a hint of fresh apricot topped with parmesan foam, accompanied by a glass of Viognier Larsenos, this was a match made in heaven!
Probably the best of the night.
Next we had lightly grilled squid on a bed of couscous flavoured with a carbonara sauce matched with a glass of chardonnay, the saltiness in the sauce went well with the wine.
The meat course was casseroled lamb flavoured with orange peel/zest, this was fabulous , the orange turned the lamb into something really exotic on a hot summer evening. With this we enjoyed a glass of George Skouras's new wine , Fleva, a medium bodied Syrah , which worked well with the lamb.
Finally we finished with rice pudding topped with caramelised apples.
As George Skouras does not make a sweety we enjoyed a glass of Madiera to finish up with.

Aleria Wine Wednesdays

Last night we went to the beautiful Aleria restauarant to enjoy a menu designed to match the wines of Ktima Pavlides.
First course was a delicate ravioli filled with Aubergine Imam on a rich tomato sauce. the Emphasis assyrtiko , matched perfectly. Assyrtiko is one of the few grape varieties that match well with tomatoes.
Next came a petit fish burger in a mini brioche bun , garnished with chervil, very tasty. Emphasis Chardonnay was chosen to go with this dish , and it did it proud. This  chardonnay is lightly oaked and very elegant.
The meat course was rooster (chicken) on a bed of hylopittes (small pasta) mixed with raisans and hazelnuts, accompanied by the best sausage that I have ever tasted.
Well done to the chef!!! all washed down with a glass of Thema Red , a blend of Syrah and Agiogitiko , perfect.
The finale was a bitter chocolate mousse topped with caramel cream and cinnamon sugar matched with a glass of spicy Syrah.
This was a memorable evening
There are two more Wine Wednesdays at Aleria this summer and I think we might just be there.

Apricot Jam

Now is the time for apricots and the best variety is Aurora, great for jam.
take a kilo of Apricots and a kilo of sugar and one lemon
Halve the apricots remove , but save the stones.
Place the Apricots, sugar and juice of one lemon in a pan cover with a tea towel and leave over night.
Crack the stones , remove the kernals and blanch them in boiling water so that you can remove their skin.
Sterilise about 4-5 jam jars.
Bring the fruit and sugar very slowly to the boil and then boil vigourously for about 10-15 minutes until setting point is reached.
Add the kernals and then leave to cool for about 20 minutes before pouring into warm sterile jars.
This a version of one of Delia Smiths recipes and it works every time
Perfect on Greek Tsoureki  for breakfast

Wine with Food

Last week we went to a wonderful evening of food and wine at Aleria restaurant in Athens.
The wines from the Evharis estate were matched with a four course dinner.
 The food and wine were wonderful

The first course was grilled squid on a bed of raw cauliflower and fennel served with a very delicately curried sauce of pureed apple, matched with a glass of Assyrtiko.
Next came grilled fish on a bed of beetroot this was match Syrah blanc de Noir.
The meat course was beautiful belly pork served with aglass of Evharis Syrah, red 2007
The dessert course was another triumph, mandarin sorbet served with halva, served with a glass of Epilogue, a dessert wine made from botrytus effected Roditis and Sauvignon Blanc. this sweety is very unusual for Greece , and is packed full of tropical fruit flavours , absolutely world class!!!

we off to Aleria this week for another wine and food evening where the wines of Pavlides will be showcased, I can't wait
All this gorgeous food and wine for 35 euros per person , great value

Chocolate

Greece is not famous for its chocolate, but there are some very good chocolatiers here in Athens and also in Thessaloniki.
In Athens I suggest you try something from Aristokratikon. This is truly a family concern and they still use the recipes passed down from their grand father.

For cutting edge chocolates to rival anything made in Paris or London go to Sweet Alchemy. This is the brain child of Stelios Parliaros the most famous chocalatier patissier in Greece. His cakes and chocolates are divine and he makes them all himself. He only uses Valrhona chocolate in his recipes.
He made a cake for our sons birthday , chocolate and praline it was sublime.
He also publishes a magazine every month, called "Sweet Stories" devoted to all things sweet.

Wild Artichoke update

Yes these wild artichokes are bitter , but some how they are delicious and addictive, I would certainly brave the thorns again , as when cooked they are very tender

Wild Artichokes

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The photo is of some wild artichokes, aginares, that I bought in the market on Saturday.
The thorns should bare a health warning they are exceptionally sharp.The stall holder recommended that before cleaning , you take a pair of scissors and remove all the thorns. I followed her advice and after that these artichokes were tender and very easy to clean in acidulated water.(to stop them going too brown)
I then proceeded to make the classic Greek dish, "Aginares a la Polita".
You take 2-3 spring onions , 2-3 carrots and 2-3 potatoes and a bunch of dill, olive oil and lemon juice.
Roughly chop the onions and sweat in olive oil, when soft add the potatoes and carrots cut into medium size pieces. Saute with the onions then add the dill , artichokes cut in half and lots of lemon juice , salt and pepper , more oil if needed and some more chopped dill , cover the pan bring to boil , then simmer until all the vegetables are tender.
The lady in the market said that wild artichokes are more bitter than the cultivated ones, I will report back after lunch.

Dinner At P-Box Athens

I said in my introduction to this blog that Greek food is tasty, gutsy and healthy but not gourmet.
I stand corrected. Last night we ate at the Athenian Restaurant P-Box and had the most wonderful meal cooked by the Michelin starred chef Christoforos Peskias.
The food was truly sublime!
The menu is a mixture of greek dishes with a modern twist and Greek Asian fusion dishes.
We decided to choose dishes from the latter as we were curious.
Starters, smooth, smooth fava surrounded by delicate slices of octapus, the best taramasalata that we have ever tasted served with Won Ton crisps.Then the waiter arrived at the table with a very scary blow torch and proceed to smoke slices of salted mackerel at the table. This was served on a bed of shredded Korean radish with a subtle soy dressing. Then came salmon sashimi Greek style with a topping of crisp dakos crumbs. Next arrived seared fillet of beef that had been sliced wafer thin , with it was a side salad of chopped kos lettuce dill and spring onions. The beef had a delicious sauce , just not quite sure of the ingredients.
For main course we shared a perfectly cooked tuna steak which sat on a bed of aubergine that had a delicious lemony acidity that matched the oily fish perfectly,and a fillet of teryaki sea bass on a sauce of leeks and something else that was truly divine.
To round off the meal, chocolate mousse with a boule of strawberry ice cream.
This is seriously top notch cooking
Best of all the prices are sensible. We will be returning often.

Santorini

We spent Sunday and Monday of this week visiting Santorini and of course the Hatzidakis Winery. All Monday morning was spent in the vineyards , as that is where the wine making process begins. All his new vineyards are under organic production so full of wild flowers at this time of year. However , I could not resist this photo that really illustrates the minerality of the volcanic ash soil and the harshness of the terrior. The yellow is lichen full of sulphur.
After the vineyards we spent a happy hour tasting the wines in his cave cellar just outside the village of Pyrgos. As usual I loved his "Santorini" 2010 and of course his Mylos 2009.
We then decamped to the little taverna in Pyrgos "Mythos" run by the very jolly Nektarios. and his wife Katie. We had a marvellous lunch of, fava, tomatoe fritters, kalimari, the best tzaziki that I have had for some time and roast pork, all washed down with Hatzidaki's "Santorini". We rounded off themeal with fresh fruit and home made halva. and a Greek coffee.

Clean Monday

Monday this week was a public holiday here in Greece as it is the first day of Lent.
It is known as "Clean Monday". It is a day for friends and family to gather together ,  to go out and fly kites and then after to sit down to a feast of fasting food.
This is one of my very favourite days here in Greece.
As usual we had friends over and ate the following
Special bread , known as Lagana , large flat loaves covered with sesame seeds that is broken with your hands , you are not supposed to cut it with a knife.
Artichokes, Kos lettuce salad, cucumber salad, beetroot, stuffed vines leaves, lentils with vegetables and rice, octopus cooked in red wine, taramasalata, tomato tart, and finally prawn pea and broad bean rissoto. Followed by strawberries and halva.
Some recipes and pictures will follow soon.
As you can see no meat, this is the day for seafood and salads.
Octopus is an absolute must and I was finally brave enough to cook it.

Photos of our Tasting @ Efis Deli

                                      This is Efis Deli in Glfada Athens

Tasting at Effi's Deli

This Saturday our local Deli organised a tasting of Grey Mullet Bottarga matched with wines from the Attikan Winery , Marcou.
Bottarga is a salty fish roe from the Grey mullet  that is delcious served very simply on brown bread with a squeeze of lemon juice.
The producer Trikalinos also makes a powder from the roe that was fabulous sprinkled on their own cured sardine fillets, again served on brown bread.
The wine that seemed to me to compliment these was the dry white made from a blend of Savatiano with Chardonnay.

I am not a spirit drinker but I am sure the Bottarga snacks would be excellent with Vodka.

Riedel Glasses in Athens

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to a tasting by Georg Riedel.
I always knew that Riedel glasses were the absolute "Rolls Royce" of glasses for wine tasting, but I have never been to a "Master Class " on why  different shapes of glasses have been designed for different grape varieties.
It was an absolute revelation!!!!
How the shape of a glass can so influence your enjoyment of wine. For instance drink a Pinot Noir in a glass designed for Cabernet Sauvignon and it will taste acidic and have very little nose.
Drink the Pinot from the glass especially designed for this variety , and you get all the fruit on the nose and a wonderfully elegant wine to drink.
At the end of the evening we were all given the tasting glasses that we had been using, so full of enthusiasm we did an experiment the next evening.
We opened a bottle of Hatzidakis Mavrotragano 2007 ,this is a red wine literally translated as "Crispy Black" and tried it in a pinot glass and then a cabernet glass.
The difference in the taste and enjoyment was astounding.
In the cabernet glass it tasted very acidic with no fruit, but in the pinot noir glass it tasted balanced and full of fruit, truly wonderful.

Beetroot

Today is also market day in our nieghbourhood, and suddenly all the stalls are full of beetroot.
Small and sweet.
So they have been boiled and lunch will definetly be a salad of freshly cooked beetroot , feta cheese and red onions dressed with extra virgin olive oil and some fresh chopped parsley, eaten with a piece of crusty bread,
Simple and delicious.

Smokey Thursday

Today is known as "Smokey Thursday" in Greece. The explanation is that this is the last official day to eat meat before Lent begins. It is called smokey ,as all the traditional  meat tavernas will be packed full tonight , grilling lamb ,pork , beef kebabs  steaks and chops for all they are worth.
As a result the smoke bilges up into the sky.
Meat obviously is the main focus of the meal, but it is usually eaten with chips , bread and of course a traditional Greek salad.

Cauliflowers and Leeks

Cauliflowers and leeks are vegetables that most people would not generally associate with Greece. However during the winter months the market stalls are burgeoning with both these rather underated vegetables.
Leeks  (prassa) in Greece are used in pies (pittas) and often replace onions.
I tend to use them in hearty vegetable soups and in English style casseroles.
The cauliflwers are so fresh here, you rarely get that rather pungent smell after cooking.
Effi , who runs our lcal deli , told me she bakes cauliflower, cut into pieces with onions , garlic herbs ,tomatoes  and olive oil in the oven.
Most Greeks boil it and serve it as a winter salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
My greek husband just loves english style cauliflower cheese.

Lunch and Red Wine Tasting

Sunday was the most glorious day , so after a morning tasting Red wines at Dionysia wine fair we met some friends for lunch by the sea.
More of that later.
The reds
 Well I only tasted Greek indigenous grape varieties , as that is my passion.
Stand outs
Moraitis Sillogi Red 2007 organic
ablend of Black Aidani 70% and Cabernet. Altho this wine is oaked the fruit shines through. I am sure that this is wine its so popular at London's New Mayfair branch of Hakkasan , where it is on by the glass.
All the Mercouri reds were good , they are of course Greek classics, you get a real sense of terrior with these wines, definite black olives on the nose.
Sclavos bio-dynamic dry Mavrodaphne from Kefalonia , this wine is a real mouthfull.
Katogo Averoff- Strofilia 2010 unoaked Aghioritiko a lovely example of the characteristics of this grape variety , bursting with morello cherries and red berry fruits.
Hatzidakis funky Mavrotragano 2008. One of the most unusual and esoteric Greek reds packed with character and fruit.
Mitrivella estates, Two Aghioritikos one unoaked the other oaked, both very good and made in a modern style.
Then time for lunch by the sea with friends.
Where the first thing we needed was a long cold beer as the temp was indeed 20 degrees plus and after tasting lots of reds you need a palate cleanser.
We then dined on a feast of Greek mezes, fava, deep fried kalamari, a beautiful salad of tomatoes , cucumber , roka and capers, grilled haloumi on a sauce of figs and balsamic syrup, deep fried peeled prawns all toppped off with the greek classic dessert of loucoumades (tiny fried balls of batter cover in cinnamon syrup )served with vanilla icecream.

A Weekend of Wine and Food

A busy weekend!!! There were two Exhibitions in Athens to visit, the Trade Exhibition "Food and Drink" and the Bi-Annual Athens Wine Fair "Dionysia" that is for the Trade and the Public.
Friday evening we paid a brief visit to the Food Exhibition , altho this event attracts the big boys there were some very interesting small producers there too, with some great products.
Stand outs were:
 The Graviera cheese made by the Cooperative from the island of Naxos. This was nutty , tasty, with a great texture , something like a cross between a top Gruyere and a aged English cheddar. Absolutely the best greek cheese that I have tasted.
 In a recent compition of Top 100 World Cheeses it came 9th.
Honey Spread from Cyprus. Using honey as a healthy base , they have added, carob, hazelnuts , almonds, creating products that are a very healthy and tasty alternative to jam, especially good for children.
There were some great Olive Oils and we were really impressed by the Olive Oil from Zakynthos made again by the Cooperative there.  Funky pink packaging.
Also the Olive Oil made by the Cretan Producer Vassilaki, absolutely delicious, with packaging that was chic and stylish.
Finally a Micro-Brewery based in Corfu, making Real Ale, Bitter and Lager they were all absolutely top quality.
Saturday saw us rock up for the Wine Exhibition , this was an opportunity to meet old friends , taste the new vintages and also meet some new producers.
One hundred and twenty wineries had tables, this is not for thr faint hearted.
Saturday was White wine Tasting.
Stand outs
2010 Vintage of Nassiakos Mantinea
2010 Vintage of Gentillini Single vineyard Robola (20% oaked but so delicate )
                       It just gave the wine a little more roundness and depth.
2010Vintage  Moraitis Paros (100% Monemvasia)
2010 Vintage Moraitis Sillogi organic (Assyrtiko/Malagousia) suddenly everone is talking up Malagousia , so well done to Roxanne Matza who was the main protagonist of this variety.
2010 Skouras Cuvee Prestige White ( a blend of Roditis & Moscofilero) this inexpensive white is consistantly a pleaser.
2009 Hatzidakis Nyteri ,WOW what a wine, not a quaffer , but big powerful , pineapple/grapefruit beautifully balanced and this was only the tank sample!!!
Hatzidakis 2010 Santorini and his Organic Cuvee 15 again thoroughbreds . Of course I may be a little biased as I have been working with Haridimos Hatzidakis for 10 years now.
Domaine Evharis Assyrtiko 2009, probably the best Assyrtiko outside of Santorini.
We also tasted quite a few good dry Muscats , excellent quaffers on a hot day.l

Wine Road of Macedinia Wine Fair

Last week I spent a very pleasant evening at the Wine fair showcasing wines from Northern Greece.
My favourite wine was probably "Ramnista" from the Kir Yianni winery. It is made from one of Greece's most famous red varieties Xynomavro, translated it means sharp or tart black.
This wine is elegant , the strong tanins having been tamed and guess what its also pretty good value for money. This red has great character.
I also liked the "Malagousia " made by Gerovassiliou and of course the "Ovilos" from Biblia Chora , a great blend of Semillon with Assyrtiko.

This weekend coming is the annual Athens Wine Fair, where all the new vintages are out to taste so I will report on that.

Samos Sweeties

I thought it was time to talk a little about wine. The dessert wines from the island of Samos are world famous. They are all made from the indigenous variety muscat petit grain. They continuosly win medals and trophies in International Wine Compitions, Two yearts ago the Grand Cru and the Anthyemis won Trophies in the prestigious Decanter compition in the UK.

A glut of lemons

Now is the time of year, not only for oranges but for lemons too. All the lemon tree branches are laden with ripe fruit, too many to use. A good friend delivered a large bag of fruit , fresh, picked from the lemon tree in his front garden.
So, I spent all day yesterday making, jam, a couple of lemon meringue pies and lemon curd, the latter two being more English than Greek, I have to admit.
The lemon curd is safely stored in the fridge waiting for a decadent moment, the pies eaten as we had friends for dinner last night andthe jam waiting to be stored away.
I will post jam rcipe as its so good and several people have asked for it. This is again an adaptation from a recipe from "Falling Cloudberries " by Tessa Kiros

Lemo& Vanilla Jam
6 Lemons , washed , de-pipped ,thinnly sliced and then cut into quarters.
1.25 kilos Preserving Sugar.
1.25 litres water
One vanilla pod halved length ways.
A large heavy bottomed pan

Put lemon quarters into the water and bring to boil and simmer for about 40 minutes, then add sugar & vanilla pod on a low heat , dissolve the sugar and then bring to a boil. Cook away for about 30-40 mins until setting point is reached. This jam sets very well due to the high pectin content.
Cool a little before putting into sterilised jars. I like to cut the vanilla pod into pieces and put one in each jar , so that as the marmalade matures it is infused with the beautiful aromatic vanilla, which some how gives a touch of class to this clean fresh jam.
This quantity makes about 6 jars jam.

Olives

Its Saturday morning and we have just returned from our local deli. ,where they had  out to taste black olives stuffed with almonds, made into a sweet.
I know this sounds bizarre but they are truly delicious served with a soft greek cheese such as anthotiro.
The salty , oiliness of the olives balances the sweetness perfectly. A great find to serve with pre dinner drinks.
Today Haridimos Hatzidakis is coming over with some samples of his just bottled 2010 "Santorini". I can't wait to taste it.
Will report

More oranges

waiting for my guests to arrive, the casserole is in the oven, so I thought that I would add a few more words on oranges.
The fruit bowl is burgening with seasonal oranges si I thought that i would just put this cake together. its origins are definetly mediterranean , perhaps not greek, who knows.
It is a combination or 2 oranges and one lemon ,boiled for about an hour then drained and pureed. The puree of fruit is then added to 5 eggs beaten with 2 cups of sugar, and finally you mix in 5 cups of ground almonds with a teaspoon of baking powder.
Bake at 180c until a skewer comes out clean. I then decorated it with caramelised clementines.
I have also made this using more puree 3-4 oranges less almonds and some self raising flour.Greeks wouls probably substitute some semolina
Any way it makes a really good cake when oranges are sweet and plentiful
ps remove any pips from the fruit before you puree.
It will be tonights dessert served with some plain greek yoghurt.
The maincourse is a simple casserole of beef with loads of leeks and carrots, served sprinkled with fresh parsley and plain boiled broccoli.

Dirty Ginger / Good Food & Fun

Last night we met some friends at a bar serving great food , Dirty Ginger. It is situated in the trendy , reclaimed industrial area of Athens , Gazi.
This area is buzzing with great restaurants , bars and coffee bars and full of young people.
We ate simply tasty Greek dishes all served with a modern twist.
My husband raved about the kokoretsi. A traditional dish of offal encased by intestines. It was so dainty and delicate looking rather like a boudin blanc. I stuck with a  succulent chicken kebab, marinated in a harissa dressing with a  wonderful side salad of tabouleh.
The executive chef is a very dynamic lady, Effie Giallousi, who not only runs this busy restaurant , but is the author of several popular cookery books.
To drink ,we had the new vintage (2010) Biblia Chora White a wonderful blend of Sauvignon Blanc and my favourite Assyrtiko, followed by a Xynomavro made by Kir Yianni. They both hit the spot perfectly. All in all a great evening.

Oranges, Oranges

Now is the time in Greece when oranges are at their very best. In my view the very best variety is a navel orange they call "Merlin."
It is so tasty and sweet unlike anything you buy in the UK
You find them piled up in the market, unwaxed ,of course having arrived straight from the producers. This is the time to indulge in freshly squeezed orange juice at every opportunity.
Make marmalade ,use them in salads and bake with them. Of course the Greeks love them the very best way, to round off a good meal, peeled and eaten at the table.

Spinach & Cheese Pie for Rodney

Back in tune after all the Christmas Festivities.
Spent Christmas in England and whilst I was there , Rodney asked me to post this recipe.

Spinach pie
1 packet filo pastry
Olive oil
750 grms Spinach
250 grms Feta cheese
bunch of spring onions cleaned
half cup chopped parsley
half a cup chopped dill
3 eggs
One third cup milk
salt ,pepper, nutmeg
Heat oven to 180 c

Wilt the spinach, and then place in a colinder and drain out all excess liquid by pressing on top with a plate.
Chop the spring onions and sweat in olive oil. until soft.
Then add the drained spinach chopped herbs salt , pepper and about one third of a nutmeg grated, mix together well and cook for a couple of minutes on a low heat. You may like to add a little extra olive oil to help the proceedings.
Then remove from heat.
In a large bowl beat eggs add the milk and feta , squash the feta into small pieces with a fork, season and add a little extra grated nutmeg.
Then add the spinach and mix eggs and greens thoroughly.
Put some olive in a cup (about half a cup is enough ) and brush a rectangular baking dish  (approx 30cmx20cm)with a little oil.
Now its a question of assembling the pie
Layer up a little les than half the filo, brushing oil on each layer as you go.
Make sure there is plenty of pastry overlapping the sides.
Then add the filling
Take the overlapping filo and enclose the mixture and then add the extra layers on top, brushing with oil as you go.
The idea is that the filling will not escape
Finally brush the top with oil and gently divide the very top layer into portion sizes. This makes it easier to serve when its ready.
Sprinkle a little cold water on the top just before you pop it in the oven for about 40-45 mins
It will rise up as the eggs cook and turn a lovely golden brown.
Serve warm
I would drink a simple Nemea with this or perhaps Moraitis Sillogi Red which is a blend of Cabernet and Red Aidani or even Sillogi White , Assyrtiko/Malagousia