Leek Phyllo Tart with Metsovone Cheese

4.5 from 2 votes

A delicious starter for winter dinner parties, holiday meals and Sunday brunch.

Course brunch, dinner, Lunch, meze, pie, tart

Cuisine Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet, vegetarian

Keyword Diane Kochilas, extra virgin olive oil, Greek pie, Greek yogurt, leek pie, metsovone cheese, phyllo pastry

PREP TIME 20 minutes

COOK TIME 40 minutes

SERVES 6

6 sheets #4 commercial phyllo at room temperature
6 tablespoons extra virgin Greek olive oil for brushing phyllo or more as needed
For the filling
1 tablespoon Greek extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks white parts only, coarsely chopped (1 cup).
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 / 3 tsp dried
1 cup grated Metsovone or smoked provolone
1/2 cup light cream
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
3 large egg yolks
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Preheat oven to 375°F/190 ° C.
Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and sauté the leeks until soft and lightly colored, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the rosemary. (You can sauté the leeks 2 to 3 hours ahead of time). Let cool.
Brush a 10- or 12-inch round tart pan with olive oil and layer the phyllo sheets, brushing each with olive oil as you go and placing one on top of the other so that the edges are fanned and there is phyllo overhang around the entire periphery of the pan.
Spread the leeks over the top phyllo sheet.. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the surface. In a small bowl with wire whisk, beat the cream, egg yolks, salt and pepper until smooth and thick. Drizzle the pie with this mixture. Roll in the excess phyllo to form a decorative rim around the whole tart.
Bake the tart until the filling is set, about 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Metsovone is a delicious smoked cow's milk cheese from Metsovo, in Epirus (N. Greece). You may substitute smoked provolone.