Twisted (Strifti) Cheese Pie

Let the pastry defrost according to the package instructions. Put the feta cheese in a large bowl and crumble it with a fork, but not too much – just enough so that it is in small pieces. Whisk the eggs with the milk, add the graviera cheese and beat the mixture a little longer. Then pour it into the bowl with the feta cheese. Add the spearmint, finely chopped, season with some pepper and sprinkle the semolina on top. Stir well.

Preheat the oven to 180°C with the fan on. Generously oil a baking tray with a diameter of 35cm. Lay the first Cryssi Zymi  filo pastry sheet for pies onto the kitchen counter and brush it with some olive oil. Spread some of the filling lengthwise and wrap the filo in a roll; twist it slightly and place it in the tray so that it lines its sides. Repeat the same process to make a second roll and place it next to the first. Place the following one next to it, and each one after that until you have a snail shape ending at the center of the baking tray.

Pour some extra olive oil over the pie and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Spray some water onto it and bake it in the oven (on the bottom rack), initially covered in parchment paper so that it doesn’t burn. Uncover the pie after 45 minutes and continue to bake until golden brown.

Serve hot, lukewarm or cold. This version of the pie has a balanced quantity of cheese and filo pastry. The pie’s consecutive rolls can also be enjoyed as mini bites. To make a strifti (twisted) zucchini and cheese pie: Remove the milk, half the quantity of feta cheese and add 500g of grated zucchini, sautéed with 1 large onion until their liquids evaporate, to the filling. Lastly, add more herbs like dill, parsley, etc. To make a twisted spinach pie: Remove the graviera cheese and the milk. Half the quantity of feta and add 500g of spinach to the filling, after sautéing it with 5-6 finely-chopped spring onions, mixed with 1 bunch of dill. Remember to thoroughly strain the sautéed greens.