Kremmydopita (Onion filo pie)

Meni Vale says kremmydopita is her favourite pita. The flaky filo, golden and crisp, together with the savoury caramelised onion and feta filling, creates a harmonious balance of textures and tastes. Perfect as either a snack or a main course, this dish embodies the essence of Greek comfort food.

Kremmydopita with homemade filo pastry. Credit: Hardie Grant Books / Stephanie Stamatis

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  1:35 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) olive oil
• 2 kg (4 lb 6 oz) onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 250 g (9 oz) feta
• 1 quantity (2 sheets) homemade heiropioto filo me plasti (Greek filo pastry, recipe here) or 10 sheets store‑bought filo pastry
• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil and 50 g (1¾ oz) melted butter, combined, for brushing

Allow an extra 15-20 minutes of hands-on time if making your own filo pastry.

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and pour in half a cup of water. Lower the heat and sauté for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the onions do not burn. Remove from the heat once the onions are nicely caramelised and transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool then add the nutmeg and crumble in the feta, stir gently and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
3. If using homemade filo, proceed with the filo recipe, rolling out the first sheet (from the three‑layered rounds) as per the instructions in the filo recipe and placing this into the tin. Pour the cooled filling evenly over the sheet. Roll the second sheet out larger than the tin and give the top a crinkled effect by pushing it in gently to create a bumpy top. Fold the edges in around the pie and drizzle over the remaining olive oil and butter mixture to finish. Sprinkle a little cold water over (see Note) and place in the oven.
4. If using store‑bought filo, layer five of the sheets in the tin, one on top of the other, brushing each with the olive oil and butter mixture as you go. Pour the cooled filling evenly over the top sheet and cover with the remaining five sheets, again brushing the top of each with the olive oil and butter. Place in the oven.
5. Bake for about 1 hour or until the pastry is crispy and golden. Remove from the oven and, while still hot, sprinkle a little more cold water on top with your hand. Cool a little before cutting into wedges to serve. The pita is delicious warm, cool or at room temperature.

Note

I sprinkle a little cold water on the pita just before and again after baking it because my mother did it this way. It helps to give the pastry a shine and to keep it crispy.

This is an edited extract from Thessoloniki by Meni Vale (Hardie Grant Books). Photography by  Stephanie Stamatis.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.