Anastasia's Tyropita (Cheese Pie)

(Bruce) Tony Hubbard's Note:

This cheese pie comes from the chef of the restaurant The Shade (I Dhrosia) on the square of Vyzitsa on Mount Pelion. Her name is Anastasia and she was born in Cyprus. She thinks of it as a Cypriot dish. It has some similarity with a recipe posted some time ago by Heather Feather ('Virginia's Tyropita'). In any case it is delicious. The recipe makes quite a lot of pie. You can reduce it all proportionally.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 kg phyllo pastry
• 400 g feta cheese
• 2 g mint, finely chopped
• 5 eggs
• 20 g baking powder
• 1/2 liter whole milk

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of a large baking dish (peferably circular or at least curved)with a sheet of filo. Take a sheet of filo and brush it with melted butter and sprinkle it sparingly (really sparingly) with feta and then mint. Fold the sheet in in four along its length and place round the edge of the dish. Repeat with another sheet, and then another, and so on, forming a spiral inwards towards the centre, until the dish is full.
2. For the batter, mix the milk and baking powder. Beat the eggs and add them to the mixture.
3. Pour the mixture evenly over the pie. Brush any remaining melted butter over the top.
4. Place in an oven preheated to 160C for 20 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.
5. Serve wile warm (thought it is fine cold). Unlike the most familiar tyropita, it is cut in segments, like a cake.