Beef Pita, Greek Style #2

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: BEEF PITA, GREEK STYLE #2
Categories: Hamburger, Beef, Greek
Yield: 12 servings

2 lb Ground Beef
1 md Onion, Chopped
4 cl Garlic, Minced
1/2 lb Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
1 Bay Leaf
1 1/4 ts Salt
1/2 ts Chili Powder
1/2 ts Cumin Powder
1/4 ts Cinnamon
8 oz (1 cn) Tomato Sauce
1/3 c Burgundy Or Rose Wine
1 Egg
8 oz (1 pk) Cream Cheese,
Softened
1 c Creamed Cottage Cheese
1/2 c Crumbled Feta Cheese
1/2 c Unsalted Butter, Melted *
8 oz (1/2 Pk) Phyllo Leaves **
1/4 c Dry Bread Crumbs

-------------------------GARNISHES-------------------------
Parlsey Sprigs
12 Cherry Tomatos
Fresh Fruit Kabobs (opt.)

Contributed to the echo by: Jean Hores Beef Pita,
Greek Style

* Unsalted margarine, melted, can also be used. **
Phyllo Leaves are Greek pastry and they should be
defrosted.

Combine ground beef, onion and garlic in a large
frying-pan; cook, stirring frequently until beef loses
pink color. Pour off drippings. Add mushrooms, bay
leaf, salt, chili powder, cumin powder, and cinnamon;
cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender
about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and wine; cook,
covered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove bay leaf. Cool while preparing cheese filling.
Combine egg and cream cheese in medium bowl, beat with
electric mixer until smooth. Stir in cottage and feta
cheeses and blend. Brush 13 x 9-inch baking pan with
melted butter. Line pan with 1 sheet of pastry,
fitting pastry to contour of pan. (Pastry will come up
over edges of pan.) Brush pastry with butter. Layer
with 3 more pastry sheets, brushing each with butter.

Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over top. Spoon 1/5 of
meat filling in layer over crumbs and 1/5 of the
cheese filling over meat. Place 1 pastry sheet over
cheese filling, crinkling to fit inside dimensions of
pan; brush with butter and layer with 1/5 of the meat
and 1/5 to the cheese fillings. Repeat with 3 more
pastry sheets, crinkling each, brushing with butter
and topping with fillings. Turn bottom pastry ends up
over filling. Place remaining 8 pastry sheets smoothly
over top, brushing each with butter.

Using spatula, tuck top pastry sheets around inside
edges of pan. With sharp knife, score top lightly in
half lengthwise and sixths crosswise. (Do not cut
through.) Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 1
hour or until top is golden brown. Cool at least 10
minutes before cutting along scored lines. Place a
cherry tomato on each of 12 small wooden picks and
insert pick in center of each serving. Garnish with
parsley. Garnish individual servings with fresh fruit
kabobs, if desired. FRESH FRUIT KABOBS: To make fresh
fruit kabobs, place chunks of fresh pineapple,
cantaloupe, whole strawberries or other fruits in
season on small wooden skewers.

Servings: 12

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