Tastes like home.
I still remember when my mother would call to say she was making pita and would I like to go over and help. There was always coffee on the stovetop – that was my father’s job. My mother would already be making the dough, dividing it into small balls lined up on the bench. As the dough rested, we’d have our coffee and chat.
Meni Valle says…
There’s something about making travihti filo pastry that brings me right back to my mother’s kitchen. Every time I smell a pita baking, I’m transported to those precious days we shared.
I still remember when my mother would call to say she was making pita and would I like to go over and help. There was always coffee on the stovetop – that was my father’s job. My mother would already be making the dough, dividing it into small balls lined up on the bench. As the dough rested, we’d have our coffee and chat.
Then would come the magic. My mother would bring out that special tablecloth – the one she only used for making travihti pita – and spread it across our round kitchen table. I’d take my spot on one side, she’d take hers on the other, and together we’d start stretching each ball of dough so slowly, so carefully. My hands weren’t nearly as skilled as hers, but she never minded when I’d make it a bit thicker in spots or I would tear the filo. We’d work it until it covered almost the whole table, so thin you could practically read through it. I remember being amazed every single time – how could something so delicate be so strong?
Then we’d drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle the feta cheese. We would each lift the tablecloth carefully from each side and nudge the filo sheet, watching as our pastry rolled, transforming into this beautiful long coil that we’d gently arrange in spirals in the tapsi (round baking dish).
All the while, my father would be pottering around, humming softly to himself. Those days weren’t just about cooking – they were about being together. She was teaching me more than just how to make travihti tiropita; she was showing me that the best meals come with stories attached.
Now, whenever I make my own, in my own kitchen, I can almost feel her gentle hands guiding mine, and with every roll and every coil I’m keeping those beautiful moments alive – one delicious bite at a time.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
500g (3⅓ cups) plain flour
½ teaspoon dried yeast
80ml (⅓ cup) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 egg
125ml (½ cup) lukewarm water
400g feta
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil a round, shallow baking tin about 34cm in diameter.
Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast, olive oil, salt, vinegar, egg and water.
Use your hands to bring all the ingredients together to form a soft dough. Pop the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Place it back into the bowl and cover with a tea towel to rest for 20–30 minutes.
Once the dough has rested, tip it onto your bench and divide into four equal pieces. Roll one piece out to about the size of a round side plate and drizzle with some extra olive oil, using your hands to spread it over the entire surface, then turn over and drizzle more oil on the other side. Set aside and repeat with the other three pieces of dough. Cover and allow to rest for a further 20 minutes.
Take the first piece of dough and place it onto a large cloth (about twice the size of a tea towel) that you will use for the stretching and rolling; it will end up with loads of olive oil stains, but you can use the same cloth over and over. Place one hand underneath the dough and gently stretch from the centre outwards. Continue this around the dough. You can now begin stretching from the edges and continue this stretching technique until the filo pastry sheet is very thin and transparent and has more than doubled in size.
Drizzle some olive oil over the sheet of filo and crumble a quarter of the feta all over. Lift the side of the cloth closest to you and begin rolling the filo until you have a long roll. Gently twist into a spiral and place in the centre of the baking tin. Repeat this stretching and rolling process with the remaining dough pieces, wrapping each roll around the central spiral until you have a coil‑like pie.
Drizzle with more olive oil and bake in the oven for 45–60 minutes until golden and crispy. Allow to cool a little, cut into wedges and serve.
Variations: In place of the plain feta filling, try feta with chopped spinach (or your favourite greens) and herbs, feta with caramelised leeks, or feta with roasted pumpkin.
THESSALONIKI BY MENI VALLE IS OUT 30 SEPTEMBER THROUGH HARDIE GRANT BOOKS.
Published in ed#746
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