Greek Style Apple Rag Pie
If you've ever had a fear of working with filo pastry, then this is the recipe for you!
Inspired by Nigella Lawson's version of Patsavouropita, "Old Rag Pie", recipe with crumbled feta, grated parmesan, thyme & honey, (I'll add the link below for you...you are welcome 😉) this recipe is filled with caramelised apples, toasted walnuts and plump sultanas. So nothing like it in flavour but just as scrumptious!
We like to call this masterpiece a Patsavouromilopita (Greek: Πατσαβούρομηλόπιτά) (pronounced. pah-tsah-vou-RHO-milo-pee-ta). Yes, it's a sentence in itself, so we will call it an APPLE RAG PIE.
There is no need to fuss by keeping the filo pastry from crumbling and covering it with a damp cloth...blah blah blah. It's so quick to make, that the filo pastry doesn't have time to dry out! Be sure to have all of your ingredients ready, the butter melted and the apples cooked and cooled before you open the pack of filo pastry.
FUN FACT: It is believed that the original recipe for Rag Pie came about when bakers were trying to use up the filo pastry scraps. As usual there are as many versions of this recipe as there are cooks in Greece!
That's the charm of this pie, you can use up the ingredients that you have in your fridge & pantry. We have made it without the honey on top and added sautéed bacon and caramelised onion.
It also doesn't matter about the dry, crumbly filo because you are going to bathe it in an egg/milk mixture for 30 minutes before baking.
It's just a matter of creasing up the filo pastry and layering it up with the caramelised apple, toasted walnuts and sultanas finishing with a layer of the creased filo pastry. Liberally cover with butter and then pour over the sweet egg and milk mixture.
Once it is golden and crispy you sprinkle it with icing sugar and cinnamon before serving. Ummmm YUM!! 🤤😉
NIGELLA LAWSON'S RAG PIE RECIPE BELOW
NOTE: I would suggest only using CHILLED filo pastry, but it doesn't really matter for this specific recipe because it is quite rustic. Just keep in mind that frozen filo pastry tends to stick together when it has defrosted.
Nigella's recipe is so simple and quick to make. This is our attempt below! We make it quite regularly to use up feta and filo pastry.
Nigella Lawson's recipe is a version that she was taught, so as usual during our research to find authentic, traditional recipes we came across a great blog from Kitchen Epiphanies.
They have explored the Patsavouropita further and have yet another recipe with an interesting ingredient...soda water (they refer to it as club soda). Looks so delicious...right?! #yum
There you have it. A simple and delicious way to introduce you to filo pastry.
Let's Eat! - A Collection of Family Recipes is creating a cookbook which will be released in 2021.
In the meantime we will be posting dishes to raise awareness, practice recipes and of course to tempt your appetite 😉