These mini pies full of flavor are the perfect breakfast, snack or picnic food! The kourou pastry is easy to make and can be filled with whatever takes your fancy…
Serves: 20 pieces Preparation time: 25′ Baking time: 1:25′ Ready in: 1:50′
Ingredients
For the kourou pastry*
500g self-raising flour, or plain all-purpose flour sifted with 1 tsp baking powder
250g plain low-fat yogurt (preferably strained Greek type)
250 gr butter or margarine, cold, in cubes
1 tsp salt
1 egg
For the filling:
500 gr ground beef
100 gr cream cheese
100 gr graviera cheese, grated
50 gr dill, finely chopped
50 gr peppermint, finely chopped
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, grated
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 glass of wine white dry wine
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp sweet curry
olive oil for oiling the pies
salt, freshly ground black pepper
Method
Step 1
Prepare the filling: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Cook onion until translucent, then add pine nuts and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in ground beef and cook until brown. Add wine, bring to a simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Reduce heat and simmer until ground beef cooks well. Stir in paprika, curry, dill, peppermint and season with salt and pepper. Cook until all liquids are absorbed. Turn off heat and let cool. Stir in cream and graviera cheese and let aside. Set oven to 170C.
Step 2
For the pastry: In a large bowl mix flour and salt. Add the butter and knead with your fingers until butter fully combined and the mixture is crumby. Whisk yogurt with egg until smooth and add to flour. Knead until combined. If dough feels sticky you may need to add a little more flour. Form a ball of dough, cover with foil and rest in the fridge for an hour.
Step 3
Roll out kourou pastry as thin as you can. No need to flour the surface, the dough is oily enough. Cut into 10cm rounds, top with one tablespoon filling, fold over half, wet edge and seal by crimping or pressing down with a fork.
Step 4
Arrange mini pies on a non-stick baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Oil mini pies and cook for 30-40 minutes until deep golden browned. Serve warm with a nice glass of ouzo.
NOTE
Kourou pastry is a Greek pastry (not paper-thin phyllo) and is usually made with margarine or sunflower oil. It is easy, pliable short-crust pastry, which can be used immediately if you don’t have the time to rest in the fridge.
Photo George Drakopoulos – Food Styling Tina Webb
