Orange Fillo Pie ‘Portokalopita’

Cook Time 1 hour + 3 hours drying time for fillo

Servings 6-8

Ingredients

Cake

350g fillo pastry 


6 eggs, beaten 


420g Greek-style yoghurt 


185ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra, to grease


 2 tbsp orange zest

125ml orange juice

125g caster sugar 


1 tbsp baking powder 


Orange syrup

3 oranges 


1 cinnamon quill 


440g (2 cups) caster sugar 


2 cups water 


1 tsp orange blossom 


few sprigs of rosemary, to garnish

Method

Grease a 20cm x 25cm x 5 cm ovenproof dish with extra virgin olive oil. Working with one sheet of fillo at a time, scrunch into loose balls and pack into dish. Stand dish at room temperature for 3 hours to allow fillo to dry out a little. 


Meanwhile, to make orange syrup, cut rind from oranges in wide strips, then remove as much white pith as possible. Thinly slice rind into matchsticks. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil, add rind, boil for 2 minutes, then drain. Rinse under cold water, then drain again. 


Juice peeled oranges and measure the juice; you should have about 250ml (1 cup). Add enough water to make 500ml (2 cups). Combine juice with cinnamon and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add orange rind, then reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes or until mixture is slightly reduced and thickened. Set aside. 


Preheat oven to 180C. Combine eggs, yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil, orange zest, juice and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add baking powder and whisk to combine. Carefully pour mixture over fillo, allowing it to run between the layers. Stand for 10 minutes, then bake for 50 minutes 180C degrees or until deep golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the pie comes out clean. Pierce pie all over with a skewer, then pour over orange syrup. Cut into large squares and serve warm or at room temperature with rosemary as a garnish.