It's Apple time! and just in time for the Holidays, to make ahead and freeze or to make and share, MILOPITA, Apples Baked in a Fillo Pastry, makes for a new tradition!.

MILOPITA
A ½ sheet pan or torte form, 2” pastry brush

You will need:

5-8 apples peeled, cored, chopped into big chunks: about 2-21/2lbs; Haralson, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp—dense, crisp, tart combinations.

1 medium quince peeled and grated or finely chopped
or
½ c. dried blueberries or craisins

½ c. organic sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp ground ginger

juice of half lemon (2 tbsp)

1 lb butter clarified; ½- 1/3 cup prepped

1 pound “thin” fillo for individual portions; 1 pound “thick” fillo for large presentations. “Athens” brand has both. Generally the others are thick.

Whipped cream; crème fraise; whipped mezithra cheese for topping.

Method:

Toss the apples with lemon juice and spices; add sugar and fruit (quince, berries or crasins) toss again. Set aside.

For individual:
Open up fillo flat the long way/vertical. Brush both sides with butter leaving center third bare. Pile about ½ c. apple mixture on short end nearest you. Fold left third of fillo sheet over to cover the fruit and the bare strip of fillo. Fold the right edge of fillo over to cover the strip. Now you will have three layers of fillo folded into a long third of fillo with the fruit covered and lumpy at the edge closest to you. Brush this long strip of fillo with butter and start from the fruit to roll it up and away from you. Place it seam down on the unbuttered sheet pan. Continue with all fillo until apples are used up. Brush with butter.

Milopita can be frozen at this point or baked.

To bake: sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake in preheated oven set to 350’ 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve while still warm dolloped with one of the recommended dairy toppings.

To bake Milopita frozen: transfer to ungreased pan and bake in cold oven set to 325’ about 30-40 minutes.

For larger presentation: butter cookie pan or sheet pan. Open thick fillo. Lay first layer down and butter. Follow with 5 more layers of fillo, buttering each. Pile apple filling on center leaving about 2” all the way around. Fold fillo up and over filling (it will not come close to covering) On top of this layer 4 more sheets of fillo buttering each. When finished, tuck fillo under on all four sides. Sprinkle buttered top with granulated sugar and bake in preheated oven set to 350’ for about 40-50 minutes. Cut and serve while still warm with choice of dairy topping.

For torte form: Start with first sheet of fillo laying it across the form so that the long ends hang equally over the pan. Butter using pastry brush or other means. Place second layer obliquely or skewed—about 10” rotated clockwise. Brush with butter. Continue with 8 more sheets. Brush final sheet with butter and pile on fruit filling. Now pull the edges of fillo hanging over the form up and over to mostly cover the filling—there will be a hole in the middle. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake preheated oven 325’ for about 40-50 minutes. Serve warm with choice of topping.