Something nice and light for supper this evening. Yes. This. You are thinking... What?!? But those filo pastry dishes are always soaked in butter! Well not this one!
I decided to try making a lighter version of one of those great, crispy and flaky pastries... With a nice Mediterranean filling and good Summer flavors... And be Jove! I think I did it!
I decided to try making a lighter version of one of those great, crispy and flaky pastries... With a nice Mediterranean filling and good Summer flavors... And be Jove! I think I did it!
Super- light and flaky filo pastry and a fruity, fresh and vibrant filling, with savory Feta cheese and plenty of fresh herbs... Just the thing for a Summer's evening! Or lunch the next day for that matter! (If there is any left, that is!)
To make one small pie that would be enough for 4, appetizers-sized servings you will need, 1 eggplant, 1 Spring onion, 6 cherry tomatoes, a handful of feta cheese, a tablespoon each of green olives and capers and plenty of fresh parsley, mint and marjoram... Or whichever fresh herbs you may prefer... Nice Mediterranean favors would work best though.
There was very little fat involved in the making of this dish... It really isn't necessary! Sure, those traditional dishes are made that way and yes they do taste delicious... But I like to do things my way, I like to make things healthier and if I can manage to make them tasty and delicious, I think I am ahead of the game - but that's just me!
Obviously, there is a little chopping involved... The eggplant and the onion into a chunky dice and the cherry tomatoes, simply cut in half... There! That didn't hurt now, did it?
I salted the eggplant and let it sit for 10 minutes, then wrung it out, popped it into a non-stick frying pan with the onion and dry- fried them for 4-5 minutes... That's right- no oil! It works, don't you worry! The eggplant will turn nice and golden brown and the onion will gently cook through... There in enough moisture in the vegetables to get them cooked without having to soak them in oil... Plus, it maximizes the flavor and keeps it all right in there, getting more intense as the vegetables cook.
After 4-5 minutes, add the olives and capers, season with pepper and continue stirring away for another 4-5 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Once they are added, just 3-4 more minutes and you are ready to set the pan to one side to cool off whilst you prepare the pastry...
After 4-5 minutes, add the olives and capers, season with pepper and continue stirring away for another 4-5 minutes before adding the tomatoes. Once they are added, just 3-4 more minutes and you are ready to set the pan to one side to cool off whilst you prepare the pastry...
I first lightly oiled my baking dish and then laid out 3 sheets of pastry, brushing them very lightly with olive oil instead of melted butter... I preferred to have the flavor of olive to give a more Mediterranean taste.
I then added the cooled-off filling, spreading it out nice and evenly and making sure it got right into the edges.
Next came a layer of crumbled Feta cheese and plenty of finely chopped, fresh herbs on top.
And then of course, all I needed to do was to fold the pastry back over... Don't worry that it might wrinkle and crumble a little... That's what this stuff is all about! But do work quickly, as the longer you take, the drier it will become!
Finally, fold over the LSAT layer, drizzle again with olive oil and brush it around, or use your hands, to get the top layer nicely coated, as this is what it going to become golden and crispy and delicious as it bakes!
Pop it into a moderate oven, around 160 *C and bake for 10-15 minutes...
Pop it into a moderate oven, around 160 *C and bake for 10-15 minutes...
...after which time it will look something a little like this!
Awesome!
Awesome!
That's pretty crispy, crunchy and flaky stuff going on right there!
Needless to say... Although it would taste just as delicious cold in the morning... I dug right in there!
That's a pretty little picture, don't you think?
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