During these unprecedented times, when staying at home is of the utmost importance, us here at The AU Review are going to be doing everything we can to help readers live their best lives, indoors.
As with many other media companies who typically focus on getting folks out and about, we’re shifting to adapt to the necessary lock-downs taking place all over the world. One way we’ll be doing so is simply by sharing our favourite recipes.
Over the next few weeks (or months, who knows) we’ll be publishing the cocktail and food recipes that we find most exciting, so that when you aren’t ordering in to support your favourite venues, you’ll know enough to quickly throw together some top-class concoctions.
Tyropita (Feta Cheese Pie)
It’s not hard to find excellent Greek food in Sydney, with a selection of some of the country’s finest Mediterranean eateries in the harbour city. Vibrant Santorini on Oxford has been at the centre of that reliable scope for more than a decade, so it’s only right that we source a recipe from them. Seeing as the restaurant has recently shifted their sterling Greek eats to delivery and pick-up (with a free toilet roll with every takeaway order), we thought it best to grab the recipe for one of their most popular dishes, a traditional tyropita with thyme, honey and sesame seeds.
Ingredients – Pastry
- 520g all-purpose flour
- 220ml water
- 120ml olive oil
- 220ml olive oil for brushing
- 40ml white wine vinegar
- 20g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
Method – Pastry
- Mix all ingredients together, except the 220ml olive oil for brushing, into a bowl. Mix for a few minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- One the dough is soft, cover with glad wrap and leave to set for 30 minutes.
Ingredients – Filling
- 500g feta cheese, crumble
- 200g cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 kilo spinach (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sesame seed for finish
Method – Filling
- While the dough is setting, preheat oven to 190 degrees.
- Add the feta cheese, cream cheese, 3 tablespoons olive oil, pepper and salt and the
optional spinach to a bowl and mix the ingredients together - Once the dough is ready, sprinkle flour on the working surface to avoid sticking.
- Section the dough into 2 sections; 1 for the filling (bigger portion of dough), the other
for the Top and Bottom of the pie. - Once the dough is sectioned, start rolling out the bigger portion for the filling very
THIN and longer not wide. - Once rolled thinly and long, add the mix on top of the dough until all gaps are filled
evenly and to drizzle olive oil on filling. - Roll the dough up to create a snake or sausage look.
- Then brush a 30cm round baking pan with olive oil.
- Roll the smaller dough portion and roll out 2 thin round sheets to place in the pan as
the base. - Drizzle olive oil on the sheets.
- Place the filled dough on the pan in a swirl pattern. You can start from the middle
swirling out our from the edge of the pan circling in depending on your preference. - Then, move back to your second dough piece. Create 2-3 rolled thin round sheets.
- Place each round thin sheet on top of the pie in the pan. This is the top so try to not
rip the sheet and try to tuck the edges inwards so it is tucked all the way around. - Drizzle with more olive oil to much it crunchy!
- Add sesame seeds if preferred.
- Place it into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden and crunchy.
- Viola! Cut and serve to perfection for the whole family to enjoy!
Santorini on Oxford is located at 217 Oxford St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
