Lamb Pie, Ioannina Style

Servings: 10
Ingredients:

2 tb Butter or margarine
1 md Onion; chopped
1 1/2 lb Lean lamb (pref.leg), ground
1 ts Ground cinnamon (or more)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 c  Tomato sauce or puree
- diluted w/ water and warmed
1/2 c  Chopped fresh parsley
5 sl Toast (thin)
1 1/2 c  Milk
3    Eggs; lightly beaten
3/4 c  Grated mizithra and kefalotyri
12    Commercial filo sheets
6 tb Butter; melted

In a frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons butter and cook the onion until
translucent. Add the lamb and cook gently, while mashing and stirring with
a fork until the raw color disappears. Season the meat with cinnamon,
salt, pepper, then stir in the tomato sauce and parsley. Cover the pan and
simmer for 20 minutes. (This much can be cooked a day in advance and
stored in the refrigerator.) Meanwhile, soak the toast slices in the milk
to make a soft mixture, and add to the meat along with the eggs and
cheese. Mix the filling with a wooden spoon, taste, and add more cinnamon
if you like.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 12 x 3 inch baking pan. Spread 6 filo
sheets, brushing melted butter in between the sheets, making sure the
pasry fits the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour in the filling, spreading
evenly with a spatula. Cover with the remaining 6 filo sheets, brushing
with butter as before. Flute the edges with two fingers or a fork and
brush the top with butter. Using a sharp knife, score the top 3 filo
sheets into square or diamond shapes. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in a
moderately slow oven (325 F), raising the temperature to 350 F during the
last 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand on a rack for 15
minutes. Cut into diamonds or squares and serve warm.

From: ‘The Food of Greece’ by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles. Avenel Books, New
York.

Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

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