hefte kefte pie
rating:
This recipe is long and involved. Sorry!
Called Hefte Kefte because soeone called it a hefty pie (it is quite heavy in weight) and the name mutated and stuck.
For the keftedes part of the filling
1100g minced beef
250g minced lamb
1 red onion very finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
6 tsp ground cinnamon
2 decent handfuls of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp dried parsley
1 heaped tsp dried mint
1 level tsp cumin
1 level tsp meatball/dolma spice (allspice, dried lemon, clove, hot pepper, cumin) - optional, you can only seem to get it in Turkish grocers
1/4 tsp salt (no more than this.)
Then:
1 block feta, crumbled
1 block halloumi, sliced
2 small cartons white mushrooms, destalked
1 jar smoked aubergines, drained
1 carton green olives stuffed with feta
2 packs filo pastry
1 block butter, melted
Mix all of the meatball ingredients together wioth your hands, really work it well until it's quite gluey. A food processor can do this, but I prefer to use my hands.
Form into meatballs, about the size of a large walnut. Cook off half the batch at a time in a non stick frying pan, on a high heat. You might need to add a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking if you use very lean meat. The outsides need to be seared to a dark brown, then lower the heat to cook through. Set aside on paper towels, but leave the juices in the pan.
Place the de-stalked mushrooms in the pan, cup side down first. Fry in the juices until browned on one side, then turn them over and do the other side. Also place on paper towels to drain.
Drape layers of filo into the baking pan. (I used a deep roasting tray, about 9" x 6" x 2.5")
You basically need the pastry to hang over the edge by about 4 inches each side, so you can tuck it in at the end.
Brush each layer with melted butter before adding the next.
When you've put in at least 10-15 sheets, arrange the meatballs in the pan.
Tuck mushrooms in between each meatball.
Then drape the aubergines in as well. You want to fill in the gaps.
Crumble the feta over.
Tuck in the olives.
Lay the sliced halloumi over.
Start to fold over the pastry overhang. Keep brushing the pastry with melted butter so that it doesn't dry out.
Get a few more sheets of filo cut to slightly larger than the baking tin. Brush with butter and lay them on top of the pie.
Poke slits in the whole thing with a knife.
Pour over the remainder of the melted butter, and brush it well into the corners and make sure the pastry is coated.
Bake for about an hour until the pastry is golden.
Fall over.
