Ingredients FOR THE DOUGH 1 pkg strained yogurt (200g) 150 gr melted butter (cooled) 180 gr sunflower oil (or corn oil) 500 gr self-rising flour 3 tbsp kefalotyri cheese 1 tsp baking powder (leveled) 2 pinches salt Some freshly-ground pepper FOR THE COATING Egg yolk Sesame or black sesame seeds FOR THE FILLING 250 gr feta, crumbled 100 gr kefalotyri cheese, shredded Λίγο A little bit of pepper 1 egg Equipment Baking tray TAGS BREAD - DOUGHS CHEESE APPETIZERS BREAKFAST BRUNCH KIDS' RECIPES LOW BUDGET MINI CHEESE PIES Ingredients FOR THE DOUGH 1 pkg strained yogurt (200g) 150 gr melted butter (cooled) 180 gr sunflower oil (or corn oil) 500 gr self-rising flour 3 tbsp kefalotyri cheese 1 tsp baking powder (leveled) 2 pinches salt Some freshly-ground pepper FOR THE COATING Egg yolk Sesame or black sesame seeds FOR THE FILLING 250 gr feta, crumbled 100 gr kefalotyri cheese, shredded Λίγο A little bit of pepper 1 egg Instructions In a bowl, add the yogurt, butter, sunflower oil, kefalotyri cheese, salt, and pepper, and mix. Add the flour and the baking powder and mix. The “kourou” dough for the cheese pies should be oily and soft. Cover and let the dough rest for 20 minutes. In another bowl, add all the ingredients for the filling and mix. Take small balls of dough and flatten them with your palms. Place a little bit of filling in the center, fold over, and press the edges with a fork to seal. Once all the cheese pies are done (two baking trays), mix the egg yolk with a little milk or water and brush them with a pastry brush. If you like, sprinkle a little sesame on top. Bake the “kourou” cheese pies in a preheated fan oven at 180ºC (360°F) for about 30 minutes, until golden. Tips During baking, rotate the trays up and down so they bake evenly. When they come out of the oven, they will be soft, but once they cool, they become crisp like a biscuit. Any cracking of the dough is normal. The dough is similar to a biscuit dough, not bread dough. Don’t worry if the dough cracks or opens a little while shaping. It sticks back together easily by hand. The combination of butter and oil gives the dough an extra crispy texture. The butter must be melted and cool. After melting it over low heat until liquid, remove it from the heat and let it sit until it reaches room temperature. You can skip the extra baking powder and use only self-rising flour. Make your own self-rising flour: for every 1 cup of flour, add 1 leveled teaspoon of baking powder. For 500g of all-purpose flour, use 4 leveled teaspoons of baking powder. For larger batches, use 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour. Don’t add extra flour This dough doesn’t need a mixer. Simple hand mixing is enough. Let the dough rest, covered, on your kitchen counter for at least 20 minutes after kneading. If it’s summer and hot, let it rest a bit in the fridge. If the working environment is hot, you can chill the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm it up. Also, after shaping the pies, place them in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. After shaping and before brushing with the egg wash, you can freeze them in food bags and store them for several months. Don’t make the “kourou” cheese pies too thin. The dough should be a bit thick so they turn out like crispy biscuits on the outside. Don’t over-knead the dough once the flour is added. Mix just enough for the flour to incorporate, so it stays fluffy after baking. TAGS BREAD - DOUGHS CHEESE APPETIZERS BREAKFAST BRUNCH KIDS' RECIPES LOW BUDGET MINI CHEESE PIES
