Karen Mintzias 3 Eggs; lightly beaten
1 Chicken, stewed 3/4 c Grated cheese *(see note)
1/4 c Butter or margarine Salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 c All-purpose flour 1 ts Grated nutmeg
2 1/2 c Chicken broth/stock; warmed Thyme or mint leaves;chopped
1/4 c Milk, optional 12 Commercial filo sheets
*Note: Suggested cheeses are either Mizithra or Kefalotyri. If
unavailable, Parmesan or Romano could be substituted. 🙁
Remove the bones and skin from chicken and discard. With your fingers tear
the chicken into strips, not too small. Set aside while you prepare the
sauce. Melt the 4 T butter in a heavy pan, then blend in the flour,
without scorching, over medium heat. Remove from the heat for a minute and
stir in the warm broth, then return to the heat and cook gently until the
sauce boils. Cool. Mix in the milk if the sauce seems too thick, then add
the eggs, cheese, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme.
Butter a 9 x 12 x 3-inch baking pan and in it spread 6 filo sheets,
brushing each with melted butter. Pour in the chicken filling, then cover
with the remaining filo sheets. Tuck the top filo over the bottom and
flute the edges. Score the top 3 filo sheets with a sharp knife. Bake in
a moderate oven (350 F) for 40 minutes, or until crisp and golden chestnut
in color. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting
into 9 to 12 squares. Serve warm. (Serves 9 to 12)
Note: In Epirus, Kotopita is sometimes made with a large amount of onions.
If you would like to try it, use the recipe above plus 1 pound of Spanish-
type onions. Peel and slice the onions, boil in water for 5 minutes, and
drain. Prepare the sauce without the cheese and bake the chicken and
onions in the sauce, between homemade filo, preferably, or commercial filo.
Yields
10 servings