Description
Piled high with oregano-spiced lamb, creamy feta, crisp cucumbers and diced tomatoes, this tart is a simple appetizer everyone will want a piece of! Recipe and photo courtesy of blogger Christiann Koepke.
Ingredients
- 1 roll Athens® Phyllo Dough (9”x14”)
- ½ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ pound ground lamb
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon traditional Greek seasoning (or similar spice)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1½ cups feta cheese, divided
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 pinch garlic paste
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1 small bunch parsley, lightly torn
- English cucumber, sliced
- 8-ounce container tzatziki sauce
Directions
Thaw one roll of phyllo, following thawing instructions on package. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a medium to large cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Unroll and cover phyllo sheets with plastic wrap and then a slightly damp towel to prevent drying out.
Working quickly to prevent drying, layer 3-4 phyllo dough sheets inside the prepared baking dish. Lay another 3-4 sheets on top perpendicular to the stack below it. Crisscrossing the layers like this will prevent cracks in the middle. Repeat this process until you’ve made a thick crust, about 10-12 sheets minimum and about 4 crisscrossed layers.
Coat the top of the phyllo dough crust with olive oil, all the way out to the edges. Place into oven and until golden brown, about 17-22 minutes.
While the phyllo crust bakes heat a cast-iron skillet with a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add in the ground lamb, stirring until lightly browned. Stir in the spices, then remove from heat.
In a food processor, add ½ cup feta, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic paste and Greek yogurt. Pulse until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. Keeping it a bit chunky adds a nice texture.
Assemble the lamb tart by spreading the feta mixture evenly on the baked phyllo crust, then topping it with the lamb. Sprinkle on the fresh tomatoes, cucumber, parsley and remaining feta. Cut into squares and serve with a bowl of tzatziki sauce for dipping.
