This is a recipe my friend Maria gave me many years ago.

She is one of the best cooks I know and makes everything look so simple. She even makes her own fillo dough from scratch.  It was so much fun to watch her make and roll the dough to this paper fine thinness. It didn’t rip once.   AMAZING!

I did change her recipe just a little.

1/2 pound of defrosted filo dough or you can make Maria’s homemade

1  1/2  sticks of melted butter

One pound of cottage cheese

One pound of ricotta cheese

3 to 4 inch block of feta cheese, crumbled

5 beaten eggs

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/2 pound of Monterrey Jack cheese [optional]

Mix the eggs with the ricotta and cottage cheese

Add the pepper and feta and combine well

Butter a 9 by 12 baking pan

Add 6 sheets of filo making sure to brush butter on each layer and overlapping the dough over the pan

Add 1/3 of the filling

Add 5 sheets of filo. Butter every sheet

Add the other 1/3 of the filling

Layer the filo again

Add the remaining filling and top with the rest of the filo.

Before you put your last two layers on make sure you fold the edges in and butter them so they fold down over the pie.

Use the last two sheets to make everything pretty covering the folded over edges and buttering everything well

Make your slices in the dough before you bake it.

Slice half way into the pie. Do not cut the bottom layer.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

It is brown, flaky and delicious.

Wait at least 15 minutes before cutting.

This freezes great before or after baking.

I serve it as a side dish with fish or meat.I also serve it as an appetizer or with a salad for lunch.

Too good to be so easy.

Published by cmangoff

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