Ingredients
Vegetables
2 medium eggplants, cut into even slices lengthways
3 medium zucchini, cut into even slices lengthways
4 small potatoes, cut into even slices
Olive oil for brushing
Meat Sauce
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500g beef mince
60ml red wine
250ml chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
400g tin tomatoes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bay leaves
Bechamel
75g butter
75g flour
500ml milk
75g grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
For the pie
8 sheets Antoniou Fillo Pastry
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon grated Kefalotyri cheese
Recipe tips
Baking dish
We used a cast iron pan measuring 26cm in diameter and 5cm in depth.
Method
Before you begin this Filo Pastry recipe, take your packet of Filo Pastry out of the fridge and bring it up to room temperature in its packaging.
Preparing the vegetables
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius - fan forced) and line a few trays with baking paper.
Brush your vegetables with olive oil on both sides and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. (The zucchini and eggplant will shrink slightly and should be browned on both sides, and the potatoes should be golden and cooked through).
Preparing the meat sauce
Heat the olive oil on a medium heat and add the onion. Cook until it becomes soft and translucent and then add the garlic. Stir and add the mince.
Break down the mince using a wooden spoon and cook until it has browned.
Add the red wine and cook until the alcohol has cooked off - approx. 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes and tomato paste, cinnamon and bay leaves.
Allow the meat sauce to come to a boil and then reduce to medium. Cook for 30 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. (Make sure to cook off any liquid - it needs to be thick and not runny).
Bechamel sauce
Melt the butter over a medium heat and add the flour. Whisk until smooth and free of any lumps.
Add the milk slowly, while continuing to whisk the mixture. Continue mixing until the béchamel has thickened .
Remove from the heat and add the grated cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir and set aside to cool. Once cooled add the beaten egg and whisk again.
Assembling the pie
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush your pan or baking dish with olive oil. Brush your Filo Pastry sheets liberally with olive oil and place over the pan or baking dish, in an alternate pattern.
Lay the potatoes on the bottom of the dish, making sure they cover the base completely. Add half the zucchini and half the eggplant as the next layer and then add the meat sauce making sure to spread it out evenly.
Add the remainder of the zucchini and eggplant as the next layer and top with the béchamel sauce - spreading it out evenly.
Take the overhanging fillo and roll it up to form a nice decorative edge for the pie. Brush the edges of the pie with more olive oil and top with grated cheese. Bake for 40 minutes until golden. Allow the pie to cool for at least one hour before slicing and serving.
Recipe, styling and photography by Souvlaki for the Soul.