Making Greek Filo Dough Pastries: Spanakopita, Galaktoboureko and More!

In this classic episode from 1993, Arlene is joined by Malamo Countouris, who shows her how to make some classic Greek recipes using the paper-thin sheets of pastry dough known as “Filo” or “Phyllo.” You make recognize the name Countouris, as her son Jerry was also a good friend of Arlene’s and a guest many times on At Home.

Malamo makes Spanakopita, a pastry filled with spinach and cheese and Galaktoboureko, a pastry filled with custard and honey. She also makes a delicious filo pastry filled with lamb and vegetables. It all looks delicious!

Greek Country Style Lamb in Phyllo Pastry

Malamo Countouris
Course Main Course

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 10 green onions, chopped fine
  • 3 lbs lamb, cut into cubes (beef, pork or veal can also be used)
  • water
  • salt & pepper
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 package frozen peas and carrots, thawed (12 oz)
  • 1 lb phyllo dough
  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 lb cheese (parmesan, feta, or fontinella), finely diced
  • 1 tsp dried dill

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, heat oil and saute onions until they begin to brown. Add lamb and brown, about 10 minutes. Pour a small amount of water into skillet and cook meat for 45 minutes or until tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes and continue cooking for 10 additional minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add peas and carrots. (Mixture can now be cooled in the refrigerator and saved for later, or used immediately.) When ready to assemble, preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking dish.
  • Cut sheets of phyllo in half. Brush 3 sheets generously with butter and stack them. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. Place 1/2 to 3/4 cup of lamb mixture at bottom center of phyllo sheets. Sprinkle cheese and dill over lamb mixture. Fold sides in, overlapping, and brush butter at seam; then roll up, jelly-­roll fashion. Place in prepared pan with seam down and brush butter on top of each roll.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

Spanakopeta (Spinach Pie)

Malamo Countouris
Course Appetizer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 lb crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 lb cottage cheese
  • 2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (about 18 oz)
  • 1/4 cup semolina or farina flour
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 6 eggs, beaten
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 lb phyllo pastry

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter sides and bottom of a 12 x 18-inch baking pan.
  • In a saucepan, pour 1 / 2 cup of butter and saute onion, green onions and parsley until golden.
  • In a bowl, combine feta cheese, cottage cheese, spinach and semolina or farina and mix to blend well. Stir in dill and sauteed onions. Add eggs gradually, then season with salt and pepper.
  • Brush with butter each sheet of phyllo dough and layer 8 sheets, one at a time, in prepared baking pan. Spread.fill­ing on the top sheet. Cover .filling by layering 10 more similarly buttered sheets, one at a time. Generously butter top sheet and tuck edges of phyllo sheets in sides of baking pan. Score top sheet with 2-inch-long diamond designs.
  • Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden. Makes 24 servings. Enjoy!

Greek Custard Horns (Galaktoboureko)

It has a hard-to-say name, but these pastries are delicious!
Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

Custard

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fine semolina flour
  • 6 cups milk, scalded
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 strip lemon rind (optional)

Lemon Syrup

  • 4 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice

Dough

  • 1 lb butter, melted (melt a little at a time, not all at once)
  • 1 lb phyllo pastry dough
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking sheet liberally. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with 1 cup sugar; add semolina and mix well. Slowly stir in scalded milk and vanil­la or lemon rind. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook gently over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Let cool.
  • Meanwhile, make syrup by combining 4 cups sugar, 2 cups water and 1 Tbs. lemon juice; bring to a boil and boil for exactly 15 minutes. Let cool.
  • Cut sheets of phyllo pastry in fours. Butter each sheet evenly, allowing two sheets for each horn. Place 1 tablespoon of custard at one end and fold ends toward middle. Butter ends and roll up. Place in prepared pan and butter tops. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Dip each horn in cooled syrup and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Makes 20 to 24 servings. Enjoy!

Transcript

  • Well hello and welcome to At Home today. I’m so glad you could be with us. This is a real special treat today because a really wonderful lady, who am I, having known in a casual way for quite a few years because we go to her family’s restaurant quite often. But she’s come today, and she’s gonna do, so many goodies using this as a basis. Are you familiar with Fillo dough? Well if you like Greek foods in any way, shape or form, you’ve tasted this believe me. Because, this is a very, very thin flaky pastry. And this lady knows what to do with it. She’s going to make an appetizer, a main course and a dessert, all using Fillo. Now I have to be honest with you. I haven’t been intimidated by Fillo dough. Because anytime I’ve used it, it has crumbled apart, it’s gotten dry and I’ve been discouraged with it. But today she’s gonna show us how to do it. And what better time than in preparation for maybe the Easter holidays you would want, to try some of these things. She’s making a wonderful lamb dish with the Fillo, it’s all wrapped in Fillo. You’re not gonna wanna miss. Get somebody on the phone right now who really likes lamb and likes Fillo and tell them, “You gotta watch this program.” Let me share with you this little letter I got from a lady. Her name is Susan. She said she had to, to contribute a recipe to a book that some of her friends were putting together. And she said, “I don’t cook very often “so I didn’t have very many good recipes.” But, here’s the recipe for The Home that she made up. She said, “Do not be anxious, do not fear, “for our God is always near. “Do not fret when the house is a mess “or you can’t find just the right dress. “Do not get upset when the food is not right “or your hair really looks a sight. “Put on a cheerful face, “fill your house with grace for God is in this place.” Isn’t that neat? What a wonderful poem. Thank you for sending that to us. Her name is Susan and her last name is Gardenhour. I appreciate that very much. You know, there’s a wealth of truth in that little poem. Well, stick with us now, when we come back, I’m going to introduce you to a wonderful lady. Stay with us we’ll be right back.
  • [Narrator] Here’s today’s At Home hint. For crunchy cole slaw, cut the cabbage in half and soak in salted water for one hour. Drain well, then proceed with the recipe. If you’ve got a helpful hint that you’d like to share with us, we want to hear from you. Send your hint to, At Home Hints, CTV Wall Pennsylvania 15148-1499.
  • Well I told you this is a very good friend. My friend, Mrs. Malamo Countouris from Drew’s family restaurant down in Forest Hills. I’m so glad you’re here.
  • Well, I’m so glad to be here.
  • [Arlene] Well we come to your restaurant a lot because this truly is a family restaurant. I kid you not, the sons are in there they’re working, her husband’s there. This lady’s retired. Right?
  • Right.
  • But how many hours a week do you put in.
  • Quite a few.
  • Quite a few. You know what I like the best? She, they have a variety. In fact, you were just given a special silver award or something. Weren’t you? For, what was it?
  • For our menu. It won the prize in Pennsylvania for a casual restaurant.
  • Over 500, hundred entries did you tell me?
  • More.
  • More than that?
  • Yes I believe.
  • Cause their menu has everything and anything. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have all the goodies that she’s doing today, in the restaurant. But they have great food. It’s not just Greek foods, is it? It’s your restaurant. There’s
  • No.
  • a big variety.
  • Right. We have a, chef who’s from Yugoslavia. And she does some of her dishes, plus the American food.
  • Great burgers. They’re great. Everything. Chicken fingers. You have to try the chicken fingers. But Mrs. Countouris, she’d always say, “You come in I’ll make you some Greek things.” So today she’s going to. We were there last week and she set a feast for my husband and I. She’d have to try these things on you before we do them for your viewers. Well, trust me, I have tasted everything. You’re in for a treat. So you’re gonna want to be sure you have a paper and pencil so you can get this number of these recipes at the end of the program. Okay. Tell me how can I get away from the fear of Fillo dough? It always dries out on me.
  • Well, it, you have to know how to handle it. And it, it really isn’t that hard. First, you know, once you learn how to, to cut it and, and work with it…
  • Simple.
  • It’s very simple. And it won’t dry…
  • This is in the frozen foods?
  • You can buy that in Giant Eagle or mostly,
  • Food lands.
  • Most of the food lands. Yes.
  • Okay. And it’s in the frozen food section in case of viewers are looking for it. Okay. And when it falls down, it’s like this, right? Right.
  • Look how thin that is.
  • And you can use some of it. And if you don’t use it all, you can freeze it again and take it out.
  • You mean, after it’s in this state you could roll it up and put it back on the freezer?
  • Right.
  • Okay.
  • And we use it.
  • Okay.
  • And, it’s marvelous because you can plan for a party and have everything done. Put it in a freezer and just pull it out a couple hours ahead of time and,
  • Everybody thinks you’re a Wiz, huh?
  • I know.
  • Okay.
  • It saves so much time.
  • Time. Sure it does. What are you gonna show us first?
  • I wanna show you how to make these different things and how to cut the Fillo, to make the different things.
  • Okay.
  • And the most important thing is to have a pastry shears.
  • Uhuh.
  • First, I’m gonna show you how to do the diamond. And you take, and.
  • Now we’re talking about something. Let me just show them what a diamond is so that, that’s this shape. Is that right?
  • Right.
  • Okay.
  • Now you can make ’em, Oops. You can make it as large as you want or as small as you want. You can make it, just bite size.
  • [Arlene] Okay. And in most of the time, the Fillo is filled with all different kinds of fillings, aren’t they?
  • Oh, you can use just about anything.
  • Everything. Oh yeah. I know you’re gonna show us. This is the spinach filling that she’s got prepared and that looks wonderful with the onion and spinach and cheese and, Oh, delicious.
  • What I’m going to do over here, the part that I’m not using, I have a damping cloth and I put on top of it.
  • Just to keep it moist.
  • Right.
  • Because it’ll, if it dries out, it gets too hard to work with. Right?
  • Right.
  • Okay.
  • And where do we have the butter?
  • Butter’s over there. Just bring it on over. Now. People say I can’t eat Baklava, all that stuff, and, and anything with Fillo, because it has butter everywhere. Well, is there something else you can use besides the butter?
  • Yes. You can use oil. You can use olive oil.
  • Really?
  • Unsaturated oils.
  • And really the principle behind this is just layering. Right? You’re going to layer one.
  • Exactly. But you have to remember to butter it all.
  • Everywhere.
  • And that’s what makes it Flaky.
  • Ah, or oil it, With…
  • Exactly.
  • Okay. Now how many layers will we do here?
  • This will, this will be two layers to make this spinach.
  • Huh?
  • Now you’re gonna include the recipe for the spinach and everything. Right?
  • Right.
  • For viewers because I know you’re gonna wanna get these recipes. And watch how she does this. She just goes back and forth. Makes a triangle.
  • And then you go like this.
  • [Arlene] It’s kinda like the way they fold the flag. Isn’t it?
  • Exactly.
  • [Arlene] Is that right?
  • [Malamo] Right.
  • [Arlene] Oh, look at that. And you would just put that on your baking sheet.
  • Right.
  • Now would you put more butter on top of that?
  • You only, you always have the butter the top.
  • Yeah. Okay. So that, so what if you wanted to do another shape instead of the triangle shape?
  • We can do this shape over here.
  • Okay.
  • And what you do is you cut your Fillo, in half.
  • Okay. Now that makes a lot, doesn’t it?
  • Yes.
  • There’s a lot of sheets in that box, isn’t there?
  • I think, I haven’t really ever counted them. So.
  • Do I need to cover that up so…
  • And then you cut it again like this.
  • Okay.
  • Right.
  • I’ll go…
  • Oh, I know. That’s okay.
  • It’s a little crooked, was it?
  • Right. We’ll cover this and we can put this right on top.
  • Okay.
  • And then you use this, this way.
  • Always butter between every layer. Right?
  • Right.
  • Okay. And again, you can use the butter or you can use oil working. You can use, like any kind of oil?
  • Well, I guess it depends on,
  • The flavor.
  • Right. Unsaturated.
  • Okay. Now these would be appetizers.
  • [Malamo] Right.
  • [Arlene] Strictly appetizers. And you can even, you do them in rolls. Let me show one of the rolls while you’re folding that. She does this in a long roll that you’d cut. You can see the filling, just as flaky a Pastry as you’re going to find anywhere and just filled with good spinach and cheese and onions. And just, this is a real, what do they call this in Greek?
  • Spanakopita.
  • Spanakopita. Okay. And what do you call that in Greek?
  • [Arlene] Say what? Okay.
  • [Malamo] Gala means milk.
  • [Arlene] Milk? Gala means milk.
  • Right?
  • Well, what’s milking in that? The milk custard?
  • The custard to milk. Okay.
  • All right.
  • So that’s the dessert. That’s the, , Spanakopita. And tell me what else you’re gonna make.
  • I’m gonna make some lamb.
  • Lamb?
  • Right. A main dish with lamb. It’s called Shepherd’s pie.
  • Shepherd’s pie.
  • Right.
  • Okay. I know you have some of the lamb cooked. Do you wanna go ahead and start? Maybe we need to start to put these that together. And I’m gonna pop something in the oven here while you’re,
  • Okay.
  • doing that. Tell you. While she’s working, I’m gonna talk to you about, their restaurant because, her husband has been a restaurant person there in Forest Hills since 1949 I think he told me
  • Right.
  • the other night. He and another gentleman had a business, and then now he has the business. And their family, they are such a group of nice people. They have waitresses that have been there for a long, long time. Don’t you?
  • Right.
  • I mean, a long time. And that says something about a place of business when your help stays with you because they like you and you treat them well. And they have fresh pies. They have a whole case when you come in the door. It has a big rolled strawberry, strawberry cream roll? Is that what that’s called?
  • Right that’s…
  • They have brownies this big. They make all of their own pastries. There Danish in the morning are fresh. And they have the most wonderful little rolls, sandwich rolls. You just it’s a well-thought well-planned, restaurant that you have and it’s genuinely good food and not high priced whatsoever. I, and you got specials every day.
  • Yes we do. Lunch and dinner. And their sons, even though they’re busy with their families and their, their businesses, other than the restaurant business. They all have a really vital part in that business. And it is a real family feeling. Just a wonderful place. That’s one of Paul’s favorite, other favorite places. He, there’s a few favorite places he has but he always likes to go to Drew’s. They have good soups every day, fresh salads. You’ve really worked hard at having a good restaurant. And it’s there.
  • Can I say something?
  • Sure.
  • Can I say what Arlene’s the best kept secret is?
  • What?
  • Her husband, Paul.
  • You’re, you’re right. He’s just a sweetheart. He really is. He’s a very nice man. I’m very blessed. And I re, I understand that. Could you tell me a little bit, I’ve asked you about this before cause I knew the story, but could you tell me, about your son and why it’s called Drew’s?
  • We had a son who passed away and his name was Andrew. And he was always part of the business. And we decided when we remodeled and to change the name and, and have him part of us.
  • That’s wonderful. He was very young when he passed away wasn’t he?
  • Yes. But you told me that God really helped you and your whole family through that time.
  • Right. That, that was the most important thing.
  • God helped you. Sure. A belief in God can pull you through just about anything.
  • And our love, and our love for each other.
  • You can’t, you can’t duplicate that. No other way. It’s family.
  • Right.
  • Well what’s your favorite thing that’s on your menu at Drew’s?
  • Oh that’s hard to say. Because of, Well you have, you have . It is very hard to say because our, our chef makes different things everyday.
  • [Arlene] Good things yeah. Very good. All right. So we’re, we’re browning the green onion.
  • You brown the onions in. Then, make sure that they don’t brown too much because then they start to get bitter.
  • [Arlene] Right.
  • [Malamo] And,
  • [Arlene] Now this is just plain cubes of lamb.
  • This is lamb, right cube.
  • Okay. You are gonna add that in.
  • Right.
  • I tell you the green onion flavor with lamb, boy that’s gonna be good. You know, I have to be honest with you. I don’t cook much with lamb because I’ve not, I’ve not had a lot of opportunity to. ‘Cause I thought that, my mom never cooked too much of lamb. You know, we would do a, maybe, a leg of lamb occasionally. But as far as having something like this, mom never cooked with it. So I, it’s true that you’re really part of your, you know, your upbringing. That’s kind of the rut that you get into,
  • Right.
  • Because you know, mom makes it, then you’ll make it. But if she doesn’t, then you just don’t think to buy it and make it. But I never thought of using little tiny bits of pieces of lamb until even make a stew. It’d be wonderful. The flavor would be great.
  • Well the Irish stew is made with lamb.
  • With lamb. Okay. Okay. So you’re gonna brown this real good right? And there’s not a lot of fat in this is there?
  • [Malamo] No, lamb is very lean meat which is very good for you. I cut up a mega lamb and took most of the fat out.
  • [Arlene] And I know you have lamb on your daily specials there quite often. A lot of fish, a lot of seafood, roast turkey and some of the best dressing you’re gonna taste. They really have one, I think your turkey dinner is about 695. Isn’t it? Something like that. I really, and I’m talking about big portions of fresh turkey not a slice of some lunch meat to somebody . This is fresh. In fact, the other day we were there, she said they went through 5 turkeys. So, well, this was a big bird day here at Drew’s because, it is a good meal. In everything, hardly anything is, I don’t think more than $10 because there’s just, very good price meals. And very good, good salads and good vegetables. And this restaurant has fresh, homemade, mashed potatoes.
  • Right.
  • You know those, brown things that come like this in a bag and you take them home and you say, “Oh, I thought mashed potatoes came in a box.” No. They’re brown things like this, that you clean, you peel and they cook. Big drums of them I guess don’t you? Always have fresh mashed potatoes. Just a delightful place. Paul and I like to sit at the counter. ‘Cause we like to watch what’s going on in the kitchen because, you’ll see one of her sons dash across this window, serving area. And they’ll be dashing across there and, and I’ll think, “Oh, they must’ve gotten, “he’s calling out all the orders. “We need this on a bagel. “And we need this one of that.” That to me is fun. I love to watch that. So we always sit at the counter. If we can. Just a nice group of people there. Debbie, she always waits on us, takes such good care of us and all the other waitresses there too. Very nice. Very family.
  • Everybody enjoys seeing you coming in.
  • Oh, that’s nice to know. That’s nice to know. All right. So we’re gonna brown this.
  • Right. You brown it.
  • [Arlene] Now, you brown it until you get it to about that state. And you leave it cook for about 30 minutes.
  • 30 minutes.
  • Right.
  • Okay. That will be very well cooked then.
  • Let’s turn this off.
  • Turn it down. Okay.
  • And it’ll look like this.
  • It’s gonna look like that when it’s done. Okay. How many minutes do we have here Larry? ‘Cause we wanna be sure that we get it all done. Go ahead, you can continue to, gonna add your,
  • Then you add your potatoes.
  • 7 minutes. Okay now these are just little cubed potatoes that she’s adding. Now you, have you cooked them before?
  • [Malamo] No.
  • [Arlene] Those are raw.
  • [Malamo] And you should really cook them maybe about five more minutes after.
  • [Arlene] Cook the .
  • Right.
  • So after you add the potatoes, cook the dish for about five minutes.
  • Right.
  • Okay. Then what are you gonna do?
  • Then, you add the vegetables. Now that’s your peas and carrots.
  • Right, peas and carrots. And they’re ,they’re the frozen kind.
  • [Arlene] Okay. You let them first.
  • [Malamo] Yes.
  • [Arlene] Okay. So we had,
  • Almost a whole bag.
  • And you really, And you really don’t have to cook much after you put them in.
  • [Arlene] No okay.
  • Just a few more minutes. Just to kind of warm through a little bit?
  • Right?
  • Okay. Now you could prepare this a day ahead of time couldn’t you? Up to the point where you do this?
  • Yes.
  • And put it in your refrigerator And then the day of your get together, you would bring them out and then you would assemble them with the Fillo. Okay. So right now…
  • Or you can prepare it and just put it in the freezer.
  • The Fillo and all?
  • Oh, okay. Could do the whole, preparation.
  • And bake it.
  • Right. Alright. So now you’re gonna come over now and do the Fillo, right?
  • Right. I’ll show you how to make this.
  • Okay. Do I need to clean off anything over here? Just straighten up while you’re doing that. Now, can we use the same Fillo you have here?
  • Yes, we can.
  • Okay. I’m gonna move this out of the way. This is so, I’m gonna try this because I really believe I can do this.
  • I think that I’ll…
  • Wanna use another one?
  • Yes, this will be too small.
  • Okay. Here it is right here.
  • Okay.
  • You open that and I can roll this right back up though, can I?
  • Right? And we can put it back in, the freezer.
  • Back in the… Okay. In the freezer. All right. Does it have to, should it go in the box or should it go in the little plastic container? Or does it matter?
  • Well, I honestly put it in the plastic container.
  • Okay.
  • It doesn’t fit afterwards, most of the time, back in the box.
  • Okay. Okay. We’ll take care of that. We’ll put them in to keep it nice and damp while we’re…
  • Okay. You open your Fillo and you cut it in half.
  • Okay. What’s it made of? What is this made out of?
  • It’s, water and flower.
  • Flour and water? And they, they must spin it that thin huh? Because…
  • They have machines to do these.
  • That stretches it.
  • Right. Well then, you can do it…
  • Have you ever made it?
  • One time I did but I had it all over.
  • And you said, “Forget that.”
  • The place. Right. I can imagine
  • [Malamo] It never would come out this thin.
  • Okay. Okay.
  • And you take half.
  • Take a sheet right? Probably need to put that, towel on there huh?
  • There we go.
  • The towel does keep it moist so does dry out so much.
  • Right.
  • See when I, when it would fall apart, I’d think that it was ruined but you just go on because it’s not ruined, is it?
  • Nope.
  • No. Okay. Put another one.
  • Sometimes, you know, the stores have ’em too long and when you get it, it, it’s not very nice.
  • Haa.
  • So the best…
  • So it’s not always my fault when mine falls apart.
  • No.
  • Right?
  • The best thing to do is go to the Strip District and we go to, to the Greek store there.
  • And they have a full Line of this.
  • Right.
  • Now, how many sheets are you gonna do here?
  • I’ll put four sheets on.
  • Four sheets. Okay. Let’s see here if we can, have them get a good shot of this. And you’re not really soaking it with butter. You’re spreading it pretty…
  • Right.
  • Pretty well. Okay. And one more.
  • One more. We got four minutes left. So we wanna…
  • Okay we’ll…
  • We’ll have to hurry here, but that’s okay. Now I want to tell you that all the recipes for the Spanakopita and the wonderful filling in there plus the, what’s it called over there?
  • Close. Close.
  • I’m I close?
  • We have to practice. Okay. Those recipes in the Custard that’s in the, and there’s a custard sauce in there. That’s, all these recipes are included in today’s recipe. So, if you request them, you’ll get all of them. Plus this. Now she made this for us. This is such a delicious main course. Wonderful.
  • [Malamo] You take a, a mouth cheese.
  • Now that’s what?
  • Like Fontinella.
  • Fontinella.
  • [Malamo] And,
  • [Arlene] Sprinkle…
  • [Malamo] Put on top of that.
  • With the lamb. That’s wonderful. Okay. And what about the deal? Do you use deal on that?
  • Well, it’s optional. Okay.
  • [Malamo] If you like the flavor of deal.
  • [Arlene] We love it.
  • [Malamo] Yes.
  • [Arlene] Oh then you, okay, you butter again? Is that kinda seal this here when you butter too?
  • [Malamo] Yes, because it helps it.
  • Okay. And you notice she’s not plunging the whole brush down into the butter, just the tip of it. And I think there’s probably something to be said about that.
  • And then you just roll it.
  • Just make a little bundle. Huh? She rolls. Look out. Here it comes. I’ve got it right here.
  • Okay.
  • Wonderful. Do another one. Make another one while we have the time. Absolutely. Now how long will these go in to the oven for?
  • You put ’em at 350, for at least 45 minutes.
  • Okay. ‘Cause basically everything’s cooked inside.
  • The filling is cooked.
  • Right.
  • But you also told me you could make a mushroom sauce or some kind of a white sauce.
  • No.
  • ‘Cause that is so tender and juicy in there. It’s wonderful. Make it one more time so we can see what…
  • I wanted to tell you too that you can make everything like that.
  • Right?
  • And cut it in pieces. The spinach.
  • And even this.
  • And even the lamb too.
  • And you would just layer the Fillo dough just the same as you are in buttered and then put your filling in it.
  • Right?
  • So it can be a casserole or individual. That’s a good point to make ’cause might be interesting, the folks to know that the Gallica Budigo. Getting closer.
  • That’s good.
  • That after they, they bake, then Mrs. Countouris dips them in a syrup. And that recipe is also included. And then she sprinkles a few walnuts and some cinnamon on the top. And those, they taste a lot, you get the same feeling that in your mouth, like you do with the Baklava because, that the syrup and the nuts. Oh, it’s incredible. What a wonderful tradition you have.
  • Thank you.
  • I can imagine the holidays at your house. You must cook up a storm.
  • Well, I think every Greek home, has the traditional meal.
  • Good cooks and great casseroles.
  • Right. Aren’t there? Well, while she’s finishing we’re going to give you the information on how to get today’s recipes. We’ll be right back.
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  • Don’t forget. Now that’s recipe Number 144. Mrs. Countouris, thank you so much for being here today.
  • Well thank you for having me.
  • Well, it’s been, trust me. It has been my pleasure to have you and the crew are standing out there with their tongues hanging out. You know that you can see that, but would you be so kind. Let’s, let’s just recap. First of all, she did the,
  • Spanakopita.
  • Spanakopita. That has the spinach filling in the Fillo dough. And that’s a great appetizer, either in the little shapes like she has or in the casserole dish that you can layer, like this one. And then the main course was the lamb and vegetables. Would you serve me please?
  • Yes.
  • That looks so delightful. And the aroma, the smell is just great. And then the final to this wonderful meal is the, Co, Co who What-a? I never…
  • You’re gonna get it.
  • [Arlene] Well, I was close. I can get closer. If we could go on for about another half hour, I’d have it down Pat. And that is a custard, a wonderful custard filling in Fillo that you bake and then you dip it in a marvelous syrup and you bring it out. You sprinkle with some walnuts, some cinnamon and, wonderful. This is wonderful. I, I would just ask you to think about making some of these things for Easter or for a special treat for your family. When you gather your family together and you want to present something so tasty and different, this is the time to do it. I would think this would be great. I love lamb at Easter time. Don’t you?
  • Well, in the Greek tradition, lamb is the thing to eat.
  • That’s the bomb. Okay. Is it usually a leg of lamb or?
  • Usually leg- lamb or else they cook the lamb on the spit. The whole lamb.
  • Oh my. What a treat. Thank you again. I appreciate it. God bless you.
  • Thank you Arlene.
  • Be sure to join us the next time because it just wouldn’t be the same without you at home. See you then.
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