Recipe: Phyllo Pizza with Feta and Tomatoes

PHYLLO PIZZA WITH FETA AND TOMATOES

"I have my favorite places in the city to get pizza; one is right in my neighborhood! I also love to make pizza at home and encourage you to try it if you haven't. But if making pizza dough still seems a little intimidating to you, instead of making yeast dough, make the pizza crust with sheets of phyllo, the paper-thin dough used in many Middle Eastern dishes and available in most grocery stores. If you can, buy the phyllo fresh rather than frozen (if you can only get frozen phyllo, defrost it in the package). When you are ready to make the phyllo pizza, remove the phyllo from the wrapper and cover it with a barely dampened kitchen towel (keep this on the whole time). Don't worry if some of the sheets are torn....Who's going to see it when it's between all those layers?"

10 sheets phyllo dough
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup grated Kefalotyri or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 pint (2 cups) yellow, red, and orange cherry tomatoes, halved

Cut the stack of phyllo sheets in half widthwise to make 2 stacks approximately 9 inches by 12 inches. Cover the stacks with a barely dampened towel.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the oil and stir together. In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, feta, Kefalotyri, oregano, and salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet with the butter-oil mixture.

Place one piece of phyllo in the center of the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the phyllo with the butter-oil mixture. Place another layer of phyllo directly on top. Brush lightly with the butter-oil mixture. Repeat with one more layer. You now have three layers of phyllo on the pan. Sprinkle with a scant 2 tablespoons of the combined cheeses. Continue with three more layers of phyllo, brushing lightly with butter-oil between each layer. Sprinkle with another scant 2 tablespoons of the combined cheeses. Continue until you have used all of the phyllo. If the butter-oil mixture gets cold in the meantime, warm it on the stove.

Brush the top layer with the butter-oil mixture. Sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese. Sprinkle the scallions and then the tomatoes evenly over the top of the pizza, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Season the tomatoes with salt and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Trim the edges if desired.

Bake on the top shelf of the oven until the cheese is melted and the phyllo is golden and crisp on the edges, 20 to 30 minutes.

Serves 6
Source: Weir Cooking in the City by Joanne Weir