Greek Eggplant And Walnut Pie Recipes

GREEK WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F Spray 9-inch glass pie pan with cooking spray. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using sprayed pie pan.
• In medium bowl, mix walnuts, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Pour and evenly spread 1/4 cup of the cooled melted butter over bottom of pie crust. Spread walnut mixture evenly over butter. Drizzle another 1/4 cup butter over nut mixture.
• Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut large slits in several places in top crust for steam to escape. Drizzle remaining 1/4 cup butter evenly over top crust.
• Bake at 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown. About 5 minutes before removing pie from oven, in 1-quart saucepan, cook honey and lemon juice over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture has a watery consistency.
• Remove pie from oven; place on wire rack. Slowly pour hot honey mixture evenly over top of hot pie, making sure it seeps into slits in top crust. Cool at least 3 hours before serving.
• Just before serving, in small bowl with electric mixer, beat topping ingredients on high speed about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Spoon topping onto individual servings of pie.

EGGPLANT PURéE WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash the eggplants and pat dry. Puncture the skin in several places with a fork. Place on an ungreased pan and bake for about 25 minutes, turning, until the skin is blistered and shriveled. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes, until easy to handle.
• 2. While the eggplants are roasting, pulse the garlic, walnuts, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil together in a food processor until ground and pastelike.
• 3. Cut off the stem and cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the pulp, discarding as many of the seeds as possible. Add the eggplant, a little at a time, to the bowl of the food processor and pulse on and off. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining olive oil and pulse until well combined. The eggplant puree does not have to be perfectly smooth. Season with salt and add a bit of sugar if necessary, as eggplants sometimes impart a trace of bitterness.

GREEK EGGPLANT AND WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant with salt and drain in a colander 30 minutes; pat dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; fry eggplant in batches, adding about oil, if needed and turning once, until tender and golden brown, 5 -7 minutes.
• Drain on paper towels and cool to room temperature.
• Wipe skillet clean.
• Preheat oven to 375° with rack in middle level.
• Halve leek/green onion lengthwise and thinly slice.
• Cook leek in 1 tablespoons oil in skillet over medium heat until golden, 5-7 minutes.
• Add garlic to release fragrance; sauté about 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a bowl.
• Chop eggplant; add leek-garlic mixture with egg, cheeses, nuts, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place one crust pie shell in 8"or 9" pie plate. Reserve remaining for top;.
• brush lightly with oil.
• Spread filling evenly in shell; cover with remaining pie crust and brush with a little olive oil.
• Cut several slits in top (to vent) and bake until golden brown, 45-50 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.