Kalasouna - Cheese and Onion Pie

ThatSouthernBelle's Note:

From Kerasma's Food & Wine: An Odyssey Special Report. "The ubiquitous tyropitta bears little resemblance to the dizzying variety of savory and sweet cheese-based Domokou and honey pies popular throughout Greek regional cuisine. In this version, from the Cycladic island of Folegandros, the filling is flavored with onions–almost as strong a presence as the feta–and encased in a thick bread crust. Kalasouna was traditionally made on Saturdays, the same day on which bread was baked, since the shell was made from a piece of the leavened dough to which some olive oil was added. This version is slightly simpler, but as tasty." Prep time is a guess.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 2 mins
• Prep Time: 2 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

Crust

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup water

Filling

• 2 cups red onions, finely chopped
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and most of the green parts)
• salt
• 10 1/2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups thick sheep milk or 1 1/2 cups strained yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups toasted breadcrumbs
• black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 -4 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/4 cups sesame seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the oil and rub the ingredients between your hands until their texture is similar to breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough water to made a soft, elastic dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. To make in a food processor, combine the dry ingredients and pulse to mix, then, with the motor running, add the liquids. (Let the dough rest in the food processor for 2 to 3 minutes).
3. Place the onions and scallions in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Knead with your hands for a few minutes to wilt the onions and scallions, then rinse under very warm running water. Drain well and squeeze with your hands to extract as much liquid as possible.
4. In a large bowl, combine the onions and scallions, cheese, yogurt, breadcrumbs and pepper to taste. Taste and add salt if necessary–feta is usually quite salty. Stir in the eggs.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°F Oil the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sesame seeds.
6. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Take 2 of the pieces and cover the other. Briefly knead together the pieces and roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a sheet large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the baking dish, with a 1/2 inch overhang.
7. Fit the dough into the dish and add the filling. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a rectangle just a little larger than the dish and place it over the filling.
8. Fold the overhanging bottom crust inward. Pinch the two edges together, turn them inward and press to seal, making a neat cord around the edge of the pan. Flatten the cord with the tines of a fork, to prevent it from sticking out, because it will burn during baking. If you like, with a pastry wheel, score parallel lines on the top of the crust, crossing them to make diamond-shaped patterns on the pie, being careful not to cut through the crust.
9. Brush with the milk and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
10. Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust pulls away from the sides of the pan and is golden brown on top. Let cool before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Reviews

[zaar junkie]

This recipe turned out well. A few things I noted though when making the recipe. First of all, the ingredients for the bread dough only get you to the "breadcrumb" stage. You then have to guess how much water to add to form the right dough consistency. I was a bit worried about this, but it did turn out fine. Also, the instructions say to make the dough first, but to have it rest only 2-3 minutes. I followed the instructions from top to bottom so by the time I made the filling and everything it probably did sit for closer to 20-30 minutes versus the 2-3. Also, the recipe says to use 1 1/4 cup sesame seeds but the instructions say to use 4 tbsp. I went with the instructions and used only the 4 tbsp and it worked out perfectly. I made this recipe earlier in the day and let it set a few hours after cooking. It was nice warm on the first day. I think it tasted just as good as leftovers, cold out of the fridge, or warmed up just a bit in the microwave. We enjoyed this dish. Thanks for posting!