Tetsuyas - a night to remember

A most memorable night of delectable flavours, tempting wines and interesting company.

Sydney Bondi to Coogee

The malaya restaurant Sydney

Arrived Sydney Wednesday evening and after checking in went to wrlcome
drinks at the court. The city was gridlocked with traffic so went on
rather a long trek to get there.
Afterwards we went to The Malaya restaurant for dinner. I had a
fabulous cocktail - Ice Maiden with lime, apple vodka, frangelico....
The meal was modern Malaysian and superb. We had banquet 2.

Andy resting

Σπανακόπιτα - SPINACH PIE, and others

For the pastry and cooking instructions - see Cheese Pie recipe

SPINACH PIE
• English spinach
• Spring onion
• 500g cottage cheese
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 4 eggs
• olive oil

Saute spring onion and spinach. Add rest of ingredients. (get rid of excess moisture in spinach)

Roll our 250-300g dough. Roll into the size of a 40cm deep sided heavy based oiled flan (Bessamer wear). Leave dough going up sides about 3cm.

Roll out similar amount of dough, very thin with a broomstick to full size of board. Oil the pastry. Cut out circle from centre – about 40cm round. Cut 12 wedges from the outside. Lay these wedges back on the centre round. Press the layers together with knuckles and push out to size of pie dish.
Add filling to pie base and sprinkle with plain flour if to moist. Put topping on it and crimp the bottom over the top.
Leave to rise then cook for 20 minutes in a hot oven 250 degrees.


LEEK PIE
• 1-2 leeks chopped
• 1 cup ricotta
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• olive oil
• salt
• chilli powder
About 2 ½ cups of filling in total.

Same as Spinach pie

Roll our 250-300g dough. Roll into the size of a 40cm deep sided heavy based oiled flan (Bessamer wear) or deep pizza tray 40cm diameter. Leave dough going up sides about 3cm.

Topping
Roll out similar amount of dough, very thin with a broomstick to full size of board. Oil the pastry. Cut out circle from centre – about 40cm round. Cut 12 wedges from the outside. Lay these wedges back on the centre round. Press the layers together with knuckles and push out to size of pie dish.

Alternative Topping
Roll out to larger than base. Roll over stick and then weave it over the filling – back and forth so it looks like waves of pastry over the top.

Add filling to pie base and sprinkle with plain flour if to moist. Put topping on it and crimp the bottom over the top.

Leave to rise then cook for 20 minutes in a hot oven 250 degrees.

Other fillings
ZUCCHINI
1 ½ cups chopped succhini with ½ cup feta, 2 eggs and olive oil

PUMPKIN
Boiled pumpkin mashed with 2 eggs, olive oil and salt

SWEET
As for cheese but don't add any filling. Cook in pan and then pour over sugar syrup when cooked.

CHEESE PIE - τιρόπιτα

GREEK PIES

• Board to work on 1 m square
• Broomstick for rolling
• Olive oil (light) - not EVO which is to strong
• 40cm diameter flan tins with sides about 3cm high
• Plain flour – no particular type and better if less well refined

DOUGH
Makes enough for 7 pies

• 2Kg flour
• 2 tspn salt
• 2 tbspn yeast.

Place flour and salt on a board 1m square. Form a well in the middle and add the yeast. Add hot water and mix in with flour. Keep adding more water pulling in surrounding flour, working with 1 hane. Pour water over hand so its not too hot. Keep adding water and mixing in surrounding flour until all flour incorporated and formed a pliable dough. (summertime use room temperature water)

Knead for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle cloth with flour and set aside.

CHEESE PIE
Take a small piece of the dough – about 250-300g. Knead for a short time. Roll out on board with a broomstick. Roll loosely over stick and stretch out as you unwind. Do not ‘roll’ the pastry but ‘stretch’ and ‘pull’ it. When holes start to appear then just gently pull it out until it almost covers the board.
Drizzle oil into the pastry and spread over it.
Sprinkle with crumbled feta.

Cut down the middle and roll from outside to middle and twist like a snake when you get to the middle. Place in a oiled 40cm pie flan in a spiral from the outside. Repeat with other half.
Put aside to rise a bit.

Cook for 20 minutes in a hot over 250degrees.

Take out and allow to cool a little before serving – tear apart to serve.

Chrissie Eftos πίτα

Last weekend Don invited the Greek class around to his mother's place to learn how to cook Greek Pies. What a fantastic experience. His mother Chrissie showed us how to make the pastry (with yeast), prepare the fillings, cook the pies - and what a treat when we ate them. Don's dad showed us around his fruitful garden with vegetables, fruit, nuts chickens and even papayas.
The recipes are to follow.
Enjoy