Greek Meat Pie Recipes

GREEK MEAT PIE RECIPE (KREATOPITA)

Steps:

• In a pan over medium-high heat, warm up some olive oil.
• Once hot, add in the onions cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Next, add in the ground beef, break apart and brown.
• Once the meat is brown, add in oregano, dill, pepper, some salt, and tomato paste, mix everything together.
• Add in the wine and reduce.
• Add chicken broth and reduce.
• Once all liquid has been reduced, remove from heat and empty into the bowl.
• Add in the feta and egg - mix well.
• Set meat mixture aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Brush a square baking pan with some melted butter.
• Unroll the phyllo sheets and lay them flat.
• Cut the phyllo sheets to match the size of your baking dish.
• Take one phyllo sheet and lay it in the baking dish.
• Brush with some melted butter and lay another sheet down of phyllo.
• Brush that with butter and repeat six more times (phyllo, butter, phyllo).
• After the 8th phyllo sheet, pour the meat mixture into the pan and smooth out evenly.
• Now, repeat Steps 14 and 15, placing 8 more phyllo sheets over the meat mixture.
• When done, score top and place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove, cut, and serve hot!

GREEK MEAT PIE

Steps:

• In a skillet, saute ground meat in olive oil with onions until browned; season with salt, oregano and pepper; add tomato sauce & cinnamon.
• In a small bowl, beat eggs and stir in Parmesan cheese; when ground meat has cooled, fold in the eggs and cheese mixture.
• Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan; arrange six sheets of Phyllo pastry on bottom of pan, buttering each sheet with the melted butter.
• Spread a layer of cooled meat mixture evenly on Phyllo & cover with remaining six phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter.
• Trim edges of Phyllo to fit pan with a sharp knife; slice through top of pastry to form diamond shapes.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until pastry is golden crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• May be served hot or cold.

KREATOPITA (GREEK MEAT PIE USING PHYLLO PASTRY)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, coat bottom of pan with olive oil and add ground beef (and mushrooms, if using). Cook, breaking up meat with back of spoon, and stirring often until meat and mushrooms are browned and liquid emitted has evaporated (make sure all the liquid has evaporated - you don't want a soggy pita!).
• Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, oregano and cinnamon and cook until liquid emitted from onions has evaporated, too.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times to bring hot filling up (to cool faster).
• Add cheese, parsley and eggs to meat filling and combine thoroughly to blend. Taste filling and adjust seasoning to suit your taste.
• In a 15 x 10 inch pan (or large pan), layer half the phyllo sheets, brushing each one generously with olive oil (use a pastry brush), before adding the next sheet of pastry.
• Pour the meat filling into the phyllo-lined pan.
• Layer the remaining phyllo sheets in the same way, over the filling, brushing each one generously with olive oil before adding the next sheet of pastry. When you reach the last sheet (the top one), brush this one slightly more generously than the rest, tuck in any overhang you have neatly into the pie and score pie, lengthwise, into 4, using the tip of a small, sharp knife and making sure you don't cut all the way through the bottom of the pastry (just the top crust and slightly into the filling).
• Position baking rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F).
• Bring your pan next to the sink and run the cold water tap. Wet the tips of your fingers and shake the water onto the pastry. Do this a few times to ensure droplets of water fall all over the pastry (this ensures a crisp crust upon baking).
• Bake pie for approximately one hour, until you achieve a deep golden crust. If you have a flat-bottomed oven (no element), do put your pan on the floor of the oven for the last 20 minutes or so to ensure an even crisper bottom crust.
• The pita is best slightly warm or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

GREEK DINER MEAT AND SPINACH POT PIES

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat, brown and crumble. Remove the meat and drain off the fat. Melt the butter in the same pot and add the zest, oregano, garlic, onions and some salt and pepper. Cook to tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Then add the fresh herbs, stir. Add the flour, stir a minute or so and then whisk in the stock. Cook to thicken a little. Add the meat back in along with the lemon juice and spinach. Combine. Turn off the heat, cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the feta crumbles just before serving.
• For the puff pastry topper:
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Flour a work surface and lightly roll out the puff pastry. Cut the size and shape of 1 large casserole or up to 6 individual bowls or large ramekins, using sharp paring knife. Place the dough on a nonstick baking sheet and wash with egg. Bake until evenly puffed and deep golden brown in color.
• Serve the hot filling in a casserole dish or individual bowls topped with the pastry.

CRISPY GREEK-STYLE PIE

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.

CEPHALONIAN MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the dough placing flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in 1/3 cup olive oil, white wine, water, and salt. Mix together with your hands for a few minutes to form a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while proceeding with recipe.
• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. Stir in the lamb and pork; increase heat to medium-high and continue cooking until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste until the meat is covered. Stir in white wine, and simmer for 1 minute. Pour in water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.
• When the meat is done, remove from the heat and allow to cool while preparing crust.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Lightly brush a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with olive oil.
• Divide the dough into two pieces, with one piece larger than the other. Roll out the large piece on a floured surface until it is large enough to fit the bottom of the baking dish and come up the sides of the pan; press into the baking dish. Roll out the smaller piece of dough into a rectangle to use as the top crust; set aside.
• Stir Kefalotiri cheese, potato, and rice into meat mixture. Season with parsley, mint, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Add egg and mix until well combined. Pour this mixture into the baking dish and top with remaining piece of dough. Brush the top with a little water and olive oil.
• Bake pie in preheated oven for 1 hour until deep golden brown.

GREEK SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Mash potatoes with sour cream and butter; set aside. , Rinse eggplant and drain well. Sprinkle with flour and toss to coat. In a skillet, cook eggplant in oil over medium heat until browned and oil is absorbed. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish., In the same skillet, cook lamb and turkey over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, onion, parsley and seasonings. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour over eggplant; sprinkle with feta cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over the top. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until top begins to brown. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.