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Phyllo Mini Pies: Feta & Cherry Tomatoes

Printed From: Foods of the World Forum
Category: Europe
Forum Name: Greece
Forum Discription: Cradle of Western civilization and good food.
URL: http://foodsoftheworld.ActiveBoards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=3166
Printed Date: 28 March 2024 at 03:17


Topic: Phyllo Mini Pies: Feta & Cherry Tomatoes
Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Subject: Phyllo Mini Pies: Feta & Cherry Tomatoes
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 06:32


Cherry or grape tomatoes coupled with Greek Feta cheese are a lovely pair ... This Pizza appetiser is lovely. I had prepared this for my 5 grandchildren up in Zürich, Switzerland during the Christmas holidays ... It is an awesome snack ...

 

PHYLLO MINI PIES OF FETA CHEESE WITH CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES ...

 

12 OZ. OF CHERRY OR GRAPE TOMATOES

1 TBLSP. EVOO

a sprinkle of kosher salt or sea salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

12 x 9 inch sheets ( 1 dozen ) of fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed thoroughly

6 tblsps. of creamy room temperature French style butter

4 tblsps. finely grated Grana Padano or Reggiano 18 month old cured Parmesano

3/4 cup coarsely grated Greek Feta or if you prefer Mozzarella di Bufala

1/2 red bell pepper sliced into thin viruta strips

1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives

2 tsps. coarsely chopped fresh oregano or parsley fresh

 

1) preheat oven to 400 degrees farenheit

2) toss tomatoes, Evoo, and salt with oregano in medium glass bowl

3) scatter tomatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until soft 20 mins.

4) remove from oven and let stand until cool

5) place a stack of phyllo sheets on work surface & cover with plastic wrap  to prevent drying

6) brush another large rimmed baking tray with melted butter

7) place 1 sheet of phyllo on baking sheet

8) brush lightly with melted butter, and then, place another sheet directly on top of 1st phyllo

9) continue doing this, and brushing all phyllo sheets with melted butter

10) then, sprinkle 1 tblsp. of parmesano or grana padano  and repeat until all 12 sheets are sprinkled

11) now, stack the phyllo with the feta or mozzarella di bufala

12) sprinkle oregano or parsely fresh leaving a 1/2 inch border

13) bake the pizza 18 to 22 mins. until crisp

14) sprinkle herbs on top

 

DELICIOUS ...

ENJOY,

MARGAUX ...

 


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.



Replies:
Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 06:52
Margi, do you stack all 12 Filo sheets in one stack or more than one? They are pretty thin, I guess you need all 12 for it to stay together.

On edit, I bet this would be good cooked in my Weber pizza grill! Might just be on for Superbowl.
note, recipe was just "stolen"!

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Mark R


Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 09:25
Mark, see Margi's instructions 7-9. That's a fairly stadard method of handling phyllo. And the combo of cherry tomatoes and feta really sounds good.  
 
My only problem with this recipe is to call any flat-bread served with toppings "pizza." It's a very widespread trend that, among other things, has led to a non-differentiation of flatbreads.
 
We were in a place recently that purported to make a particular sandwich on Pita. What they actually used was Lavash. Those two breads are totally unrelated. But the server insisted they were the same thing, going so far as to call it "lavash pita."
 
That might be an extreme example. But it's indicative of what I consider a very unhealthy trend.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 10:32

Mark,

Yes, they are each layered with 12 sheets of Phyllo so one has a substantial " pizza " appetiser. They are very tasty ... Feta is a perfect pair for tomato ... Architecturally speaking, in order to have a firm crisp " dough ", yes, they have 12 thin layers each serving...
 
I am truly pleased that you have stolen my recipe ... Please do take a few photos for the post ! Are you going to use mozzarella di bufala or feta ? 
 
Have fun with the recipe, they are quite tasty ... and very attractive too ... you can add fresh basil or parsley if you wish too ...
Margaux.  


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 10:35

Brook,

 
Thank you for ur correction; phyllo is a flat bread ... however, this appetiser is being created as mini pizza appetisers ...
 
What then, do we call them ??? Feta Phyllo Appetisers ?
 
They are lovely, very tasty and versatile ... One can use mozzarella di bufala or smoked mozzarella with tomato and fresh basil too ... A CAPRESE PHYLLO !!!
 
Kind regards.
Marge.
 


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 13:33
Wasn't a correction, Margi. You can call them whatever you like.
 
This idea that any flatbread with toppings is pizza just happens to be one of my pet culinary peeves. Ranks right up there with instructions that say, "saute in a little juice....."
 
Just to put this in perspective. If, when you laid out the phyllo you created sidewalls, would you then call this a tart?
 
I touched on this over in the bread primer thread, with the Lamejun recipe from Ana Sortun. If anyone ever called it Turkish Pizza, or Armenian Pizza, I think I'd go in the corner and throw up. But I'm sure there are folks, including some top-rated chefs who should know better, who wouldn't hesitate to do so.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 15:24
Awwwww come on Brook. Look in the grocery. They have pita pizza, hoagie pizza, muffin pizza and tortilla pizza. I know it's not correct but.... Well, what exactly makes it a pizza? Is it the dough? I have prolly 15 very different recipes from paper thin to pan to whole wheat to regular wheat. I even have a cornmeal pizza dough recipe. Or is it the toppings? Not gonna list the options there. Or the sauce, red or white or picante...? Not trying to be a smart butt, but what really is the definition?

Margi I will prolly use both Feta and Mozz. I have Feta and a gallon of whole milk I need to use, so I will make fresh Mozzarella. Should be really good in the wood fired Weber. Have to use a pan though, pretty sure the Phyllo would come apart on the stone.

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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 15:28

Good Evening Mark,

Employing home made mozzarella sounds wonderful ...
 
Hope that you enjoy the recipe ...
 
It is quite tasty ... I too, have tons of pizza recipes as we have a condo in Italia, and spend 2 months out of the year there ...
 
Please do take some photos ...
 
Thank you for ur interest,
Margaux.
 
 
 


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 15:30

Brook.

 
It has become fashionable to call topped flatbreads pizzas, whether we like it or not ...
 
PHYLLO DOUGH for me is a Greek pastry dough most noted for spanakopia filled with spinach and feta; not a flat bread nor a pizza dough if we get technical ... Phyllo is a Greek dough which is used in sweet and savoury concoctions ...
 
However, in this recipe it is the base of pizza ingredients ...
 
Have nice wkend. The recipe is lovely ...
Margaux.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 15:45
Originally posted by Margi Cintrano Margi Cintrano wrote:

Good Evening Mark,



It is quite tasty ... I too, have tons of pizza recipes as we have a condo in Italia, and spend 2 months out of the year there ...

Please do take some photos ...



 

Funny thing about pizza, it is not an Italian creation! Yea the Yanks were at it again!
Oh, I always take photos!

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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 15:49

Mark,

 
Pizza´s history hails from ancient times;  Ligura´s foccaccia and Napoli adopted the cheese and tomato topping ... Product availability ...
 
 
It was brought to the states, by the numerous Italian migrations ... as most Italian dishes were ... There are many adoptions, which Italians in Italy have never even heard of ...  
 
I believe that this is incorrect !
 
Where did Americans get water buffalo mozzarella, which is not made with cow cheese ! Mozzarella di bufala is PURE NAPLES PROVINCE ...
 
Margaux.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 16:10
I sit corrected (too tired to stand).
Aou contrare, the "modern pizza" would not be possible without the tomato which was brought to Europa from the Americas in the 1600s!
Ok the roots are,
Quote Foods similar to pizza have been prepared since the neolithic age. Records of people adding other ingredients to bread to make it more flavorful can be found throughout ancient history.

    In Sardinia, French and Italian archeologists have found a kind of bread baked over 7,000 years ago. According to Professor Philippe Marinval, the local islanders leavened this bread.[10]
    The Ancient Greeks had a flat bread called plakous (πλακοῦς, gen. πλακοῦντος - plakountos)[11] which was flavored with toppings like herbs, onion, and garlic.
    In the 1st century BCE, the Latin poet Virgil refers to the ancient idea of bread as an edible plate or trencher for other foods in this extract from his Latin epic poem, the Aeneid (Book VII, 112-116,[12] trans. A. S. Kline )
These flatbreads, like pizza, are from the Odyssey area and other examples of flat breads that survive to this day from the ancient Mediterranean world are focaccia (which may date back as far as the Ancient Etruscans), coca (which has sweet and savory varieties) from Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, the Greek Pita or Pide in Turkish. Lepinja or Trafalgar in the Balkans or Piadina in the Romagna part of Emilia-Romagna in Italy.

Soooo, debatable who!

But I do always take photos!


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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 17:09
Mark,
 
Good research ... However;
 
The Greeks occupied many areas of Italia both on the Mediterranean and Adriatic ...  and built fishing ports ... and Galicia, Iberia ... in the northwest corner ... Known for its outstanding baby octopus ... the best in the world ... Tender melt in your mouth ...
 
Have u ever had a PIZZA BIANCA ? This is a cheese pizza without Tomato !!!
 
TOMATOES, WERE BROUGHT TO SPAIN IN 1520s via Hernándo Cortez ... Italia and Spain had close ties, during the reign of KING FELIPE II ... I am not sure, when the tomato was brought from Spain to Italia; Napoli is very close to Mallorca, however, pizza breads or foccaccias existed long before the tomato ... COCAS in Mallorca, are a good example !!! They top the COCAS = PIZZA similar to a foccaccia, with fresh herbs, Evoo and vegetables ...
 
CATALONIA had very strong relations with Sardinia, Sicilia and Napoli during the medieval reigns 1500s ...
 
Tomatoes are not a requirement for a good pizza ...
 
Pizza Bianca is a specialty of Chicago too !!! The Italian immigrants brought it over ...
 
It is 1am ...
 
Have nice evening.
Mare.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 02 February 2013 at 17:47
I love my white pizza!

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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 04:10

Mark,

 
My fave pizza is Pizza Bianco ... However, I am quite fond of foccaccia and pizza in general ... I have it quite often for lunch at a lovely Italian Trattoria near the magazine office ...
 
See Italy Section: recipe Pizza Bianco ... You shall find this classic version to be of interest.
 
Have nice wkend.
Margaux.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 05:59
it has become fashionable to call topped flatbreads pizzas
 
Precisely my point, Margi. Unfortunately, fashion often leads to dumbing down. And we find this to be especially true in culinary matters.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 06:08

Brook,

 
THE ROMANS LEFT PIZZA OVENS IN POMPEI, CAMPANIA, LONG BEFORE THE NEW WORLD WAS DISCOVERED ... FOCCACCIA IS ALSO AN ANCIENT LIGURIAN FLAT BREAD ... HOWEVER, IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, BREADS ARE A VAST SUBJECT ... COCAS, A MALLORQUIN PIZZA, RARELY HAS CHEESE, AND WAS BROUGHT OVER BY THE ROMANS ---
 
I am not as critical ...
 
Thus, whatever, one wishes to call a flatbread or a pizza, they both begin with more or less the same dough ... There are flatbreads with yeast and without, as you know. The Nomad Middle Eastern Tribes, have been baking in the Sun, flatbreads without yeast, since time memorial ...
 
So, a flatbread with yeast, is another " bread " ... 
 
This is why from one country to another, we call things a different name ... They are all flour and water, salt, with or without yeast ---  
 
A good example, is Iberia and Mexico ... nothing is called the same name ... I mean nothing ! The same for Italian immigrants from the Gold Rush or 1920s --- Cippione, a seafood stew in San Francisco for example is CASSOLA DI MARE in Italia !!! 
 
 
Have good wkend.
Margaux


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 06:14

Mark,

 
The Romans had built pizza ovens in Pompei and were baking pizzas for centuries prior to the discovery of the New World ... This is proven fact ... Pompei is in Campania, south of Napoli ... The Romans brought the COCA or Mallorquin version enroute to Iberia, 10 centuries ago ... They ruled Spain for over 500 years.
 
Margaux.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 08:11
Originally posted by HistoricFoodie HistoricFoodie wrote:

it has become fashionable to call topped flatbreads pizzas

 

Precisely my point, Margi. Unfortunately, fashion often leads to dumbing down. And we find this to be especially true in culinary matters.

Brook, with most foods I completely agree! But Pizza, by it's nature, is such a diverse thing that I think it's hard to be picky about it.
But you are correct.
Quote fashion often leads to dumbing down. And we find this to be especially true in culinary matters.


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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 03 February 2013 at 08:30

Brook and Mark,

 
Hope your phyllo Greek flatbread mini pizzas turn out wonderfully.
 
Have nice superbowl Sunday,
Mare.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: HistoricFoodie
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 07:02
Awwwww come on Brook. Look in the grocery. They have pita pizza, hoagie pizza, muffin pizza and tortilla pizza. I know it's not correct but.... Well, what exactly makes it a pizza?
 
Sure they do, Mark. And that's precisely the source of my complaint. Each of those creates a pizza-like bread. But that's due to the toppings being similar: tomato sauce, cheese, sausage, pepperoni, etc. But they are not pizza.
 
This tends to be an American thing (although it is showing up in other places) In Italy, for instance, they do not call focaccia "Genovese pizza." Nor do they call sfincione "Sicilian pizza." And schiacciaa is most assuredly not called "Tuscan pizza." Yet, these are all flatbreads, often served with the same sorts of toppings we are familiar with.
 
True pizza, as originated in Naples, is all about the crust; which is to say, the dough. It is a tender, highly extensive dough. Italian flour is inherently softer than American, so we make pizza with all-purpose flour. Or, if we use harder flour, we add olive oil to the mix to tenderize the dough.
 
Pizza is stretched to shape, rather than rolled. This contributes to its mouthfeel, as well as creating an edge. 
 
All of the history presented so far merely supports my contention: That the world is, and has been, filled with meals consisting of a flatbread that serves as a support for other foodstuffs. But none of them were, nor should they be, called pizza.
 
Edited extensively to reflect the fact I can't seem to type worth a damn lately.


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 10:15

Brook,

On one hand you are correct, and on the other, Marketing Departments have used the terms: PIZZERIA, Pizza Bites, Pizzas, Pizza ---
 
In Italia it´s quite different ... FOCCACCIA IS FOCCACCIA; NOT GENOVESE PIZZA; AND IN MALLORCA; A COCA ( FLAT BREAD WITH NO CHEESE ) IS A COCA, NOT A CHEESE FREE PIZZA !!!
 
PIZZA has become a MARKETING TERM to sell the tourists !!! A TRATTORIA HAS 10 PIZZAS EACH APPROXIMATELY ON THEIR CARTES; HOWEVER, FOCCACCIA IS ALWAYS FOCCACCIA IN ITALY & SPAIN AS WELL ...
 
Margaux.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 14:15
I have toured through most of Europe (working). Sadly not to Spain, Italy or Greece. So I have not seen the origins of the subject. Only subjected to the "marketed" editions of "pizza" in the U.S..
So.....what, correctly, do I call this creation? (when I get the time to make it)

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Mark R


Posted By: TasunkaWitko
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 14:28
while i see brook's point, and certainly agree strongly with his sentiment, i think we're getting a little too hung up on nomenclature here.
 
my suggestion would be to simply call it what it's called and put "pizza" in quotes. this way, the name would give an idea as to how the finished product would look, whilst also making celar that while it's "like" a pizza it isn't "really" a pizza ~
 
problem solved ~ Wink


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Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 14:33
In Greece Minature Phyllo Pies !!

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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.


Posted By: MarkR
Date Posted: 05 February 2013 at 15:06
Then "Phyllo Pies" it is!!

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Mark R


Posted By: Margi Cintrano
Date Posted: 17 February 2013 at 03:28

Mark and Tas,

 
I have prepared from time to time a Greek Feta Mousse with herbs filled in Phyllo ...
 
** THE NEXT TIME I PREPARE IT, I SHALL DO A PICTORIAL ...
 
 
Here is a quick recipe for Feta Mousse:
 
10 ounces Feta Cheese or 300 grams
200 grams or 6 2/3 oz. of Strained Greek Yogurt
3 oz. Mozzarella di bufala or Manouri Greek Cheese
3 oz. Anthotyro cheese or similar
 
Mixed chopped herbs or dry as follows:
fennel fronds or ground fennel seeds
parsley fresh or dry
cilantro fresh or dry
orégano fresh or dry
 
3 Oz. lemon zested and juiced
3 oz. Ouzo Greek Liqueor
White wine vinegar 1 tsp.
evoo 1 1/2 tablesp.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Pita
 
grate or crumble cheese and combine with the herbs / spices and then, the ouzo, lemon juice and the vinegar ... chill covered overnight ...
 
Stuff into Phyllo and bake or serve at room temperature with hot Pita ... and drizzle Evoo and Orégano ...
 
Yields 6 servings ..
 
Lovely dip spread or filling for Phyllo ...
 
Have great wkend.
Margi.


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Volamos a Mediterraneo, un paraiso que conquista su gente u su cocina.



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