Beef Pita, Greek Style - Serves 12
2 lb Ground Beef
1 Med. Onion, Chopped
4 Small Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 lb Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
1 Bay Leaf
1 1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Chil Powder
1/2 t Cumin Powder
1/4 t Cinnamon
8 oz (1 cn) Tomato Sauce
1/3 c Burgundy Or Rose Wine
1 Large Egg
8 oz (1 pk) Cream Cheese,Softened
1 c Creamed Cottage Cheese
1/2 c Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 c Unsalted Butter, Melted *
8 oz (1/2 Pk) Phyllo Leaves **
1/4 c Dry Bread Crumbs
GARNISHES
1 Parlsey Sprigs
12 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Fresh Fruit Kabobs (opt.)
Instructions
* Unsalted margarine, melted, can also be used.
** Phyllo Leaves are greek pastry and they should be defrosted.
Combine ground beef, onion and garlic in a large frying-pan; cook,
stirring frequently until beef loses pink color. Pour off drippings. Add
mushrooms, bay leaf, salt, chili powder, cumin powder, and cinnamon;
cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato sauce and wine; cook, covered, 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Remove bay leaf. Cool while preparing cheese filling.
Combine egg and cream cheese in medium bowl, beat with electric mixer
until smooth. Stir in cottage and feta cheeses and blend. Brush 13 x
9-inch baking pan with melted butter. Line pan with 1 sheet of pastry,
fitting pastry to contour of pan. (Pastry will come up over edges of
pan.) Brush pastry with butter. Layer with 3 more pastry sheets, brushing
each with butter. Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top. Spoon 1/5 of meat
filling in layer over crumbs and 1/5 of the cheese filling over meat.
Place 1 pastry sheet over cheese filling, crinkling to fit inside
dimensions of pan; brush with butter and layer with 1/5 of the meat and
1/5 to the cheese fillings. Repeat with 3 more pastry sheets, crinkling
each, brushing with butter and topping with fillings. Turn bottom pastry
ends up over filling. Place remaining 8 pastry sheets smoothly over top,
brushing each with butter. Using spatula, tuck top pastry sheets around
inside edges of pan. With sharp knife, score top lightly in half
lengthwise and sixths crosswise. (Do not cut through) Bake in moderate
oven (350 degrees F.) 1 hour or until top is golden brown. Cool at least
10 minutes before cutting along scored lines. Place a cherry tomato on
each of 12 small wooden picks and insert pick in center of each serving.
Garnish with parsley. Garnish individual servings with fresh fruit kabobs,
if desired.
Fresh Fruit Kabobs:
To make fresh fruit kabobs, place chunks of fresh pineapple, cantaloupe,
whole strwberries or other fruits in season on small wooden skewers.
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