Traditional Cretan Boureki
from Chania (a savory pie with zucchini, potatoes and cheese)
(a savory pie with zucchini, potatoes, and cheese)
ingredients for the recipe :
For the filling:
3 medium-sized potatoes (approximately 650 g)
3 medium-sized zucchini(approximately 500 g)
400 g mizithra* or feta cheese or a creamy cheese made from goat and sheep milk
380 g goat milk
100 g olive oil or pomace oil
10 g salt
2 g pepper
3 g fresh oregano
1 medium clove of garlic
For the dough:
450 g all-purpose flour
7 g fine salt
15 g tsikoudia or any strong alcohol or white wine
70 g olive oil (we can also use pomace oil)
160 g water
For the topping:
A little bit of milk
Sesame seeds
120 g olive oil or pomace oil
Execute recipe:
Peel and cut the potatoes and zucchini into thin slices, put them in a bowl and add the salt, pepper, oregano, garlic in crumbs, olive oil, milk, and mix well. Set it aside and start with the dough.
Put all the ingredients in a basin and knead well. Divide the dough into two pieces, one larger than the other, about 400 g on the bottom and the rest on top.
With a rolling pin or a phyllo machine, roll out a phyllo sheet of medium thickness. Transfer it to a well-oiled baking pan (diameter 28 cm), spread it evenly so that it protrudes slightly from the baking pan.
Add the ingredients you have mixed in, lay them beautifully. Then add the mizithra cheese by spreading with your hand to go everywhere. If you want, you can divide it into 2 layers by dividing the mixed ingredients into two layers. Open the other phyllo sheet and spread it over the baking pan.
Cut off any excess from the baking pan, being careful to leave some of the baking pan in order to make the design a braid, turning the excess dough inwards and pressing it with your fingers to stick. Score it with a knife, making sure that the knife does not go too deep.
Put a little milk on top with a brush, spread it everywhere. Add the sesame and finally the rest of the olive oil, bake it for about an hour over medium heat, checking with a toothpick or knife if the potatoes and zucchini are cooked. When ready, let it rest for half an hour and then cut it and serve..
If you want, you can not add garlic and oregano, leave it simple with salt and pepper or alternatively you can add a chopped tomato or a can of cherry tomatoes with chopped parsley
*Xynomizithra or xynomyzithra (Greek: Ξινομυζήθρα) is a Greek whey cheese with some added milk; it is a sour variant of Mizithra, and made from ewes' and/or goats' milk. The proportion of full-cream milk is about 15%. It is mainly produced on the island of Crete but other areas in Greece also produce it. Xynomyzithra Kritis (xynomizithra of Crete) is a European protected designation of origin.
Production
Xynomizithra is made from strained ewe and/or goat whey which is heated and stirred. A small amount of full-cream milk (up to 15% for Xynomyzithra Kritis) is then added. The resulting curd stands for 30 minutes and is then put into molds to drain. It is then pressed and ripened for not less than 2 months.
Serving
It comes in various sizes and its shape is usually truncated cone or ball. The cheese is soft, snow-white, creamy, and moist, with a sour taste. It is commonly served with honey as a dessert. It is also used as a table cheese, in salads, and in baked goods, notably in small cheese pies (kalitsounia).