How would you feel if I presented you with a dish that presented you some of the favoured ingredients in Greek cuisine? All wrapped-up in one dish? You get spinach (check), you get tomato (check), you get green pepper (check), you get tender pieces of lamb (check), Greek cheese in Cretan Graviera (check) and it’s all wrapped up in a packet of phyllo pastry (check)!
Here’s a version of “Exohiko” where a parcel of food is presented to you at the table. Exohiko dishes can appear wrapped in parchment, in aluminum foil or in this case, phyllo pastry. Here, you get to eat the dish, wrapping and all. This recipe is for four (you need eight sheets of phyllo) which means you’ll have leftover phyllo. My solutions to you? Make more than four (up to ten servings) or combine this recipe with with another.
With the remaining phyllo, you could make a smaller Portokalopita or whip up a filling of ricotta, Feta and egg, mix and season and fill and make some phyllo triangles. How about about phyllo cups filled with a Spanakopita filling? You have options – the rest of the package of phyllo doesn’t have to go waste.
On to the lamb Exohiko. The main ingredient of this dish is the lamb meat. I used the meat leftover from the Leg of Lamb I made this past Easter. The meat was succulent, tender and very flavorful. Fully aware that you might not have leftover lamb on hand, you will likely need to cook up some lamb. My suggestion to you is to purchase some stewing lamb, cut into cubes, season and saute them in a little oil, add some dry white wine, equal amount of stock and cover and simmer for about 40 minutes or until tender. Now you can use the tender pieces of lamb for you very own lamb Exohiko with leftover lamb or stewed lamb. Either way, make sure your meat is juicy and tender.
Your other components are the filling of spinach, tomato, green pepper and cheese. There are two options with your spinach filling, boil and blanche fresh spinach or simply buy the pre-blanched frozen spinach. Most supermarkets sell this wonderful convenience product and it will save you some time. Thaw it, squeeze the water out and then saute it with some scallions and add some flavour with salt, pepper, wine and chopped fresh dill. For the this dish, add the tomato and green pepper slices near the end to soften before assembling the packettes.
The final component of your filling is the Graviera cheese. Fine Graviera cheese in Greeece is produced in Crete, Mytilini and Naxos. I like a firm, slightly sharp Graviera that will melt but not disappear. If you cannot find Graviera, seek out a firm Gruyere or other sheep’s milks cheese that’s more on the firm side.
At long last, the filling is assembled inside an envelope of buttered phyllo pastry and then baked until just golden. Serve your Exohiko with a salad and/or some roast potatoes and “dinner is served”.
Lamb Exohiko
Ingredients
Serves 4
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cups fresh spinach, blanched, drained of excess water and chopped
4-5 scallions, ends trimmed and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon dried oregano
8 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed and at room temperature
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups chopped cooked lamb meat
4 (1/4 inch) slices ripe medium tomato
4 (1/4 inch) slices of Kefalotyri or Romano cheese
4 (1/4 inch) slices bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add spinach, scallions and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add wine and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce the wine. Season with salt and pepper. Add dill and oregano, take off the heat and reserve.
Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Place phyllo on a clean work surface and cover sheets with a lightly damp tea towel to keep them from drying. Take a sheet, set it on the work surface and brush it with butter. Take a second sheet, place it on top of the first sheet and brush with butter.
Place 1/4 of the lamb on the phyllo about 5 inches from the bottom and leave 2 inches on the left and right side. Top lamb with 1/4 of the spinach filling, a slice of tomato, a slice of cheese and a slice of red pepper. Fold the bottom 5 inches of phyllo over the filling, and then fold in the left and right sides. Next, roll up the phyllo to make a bundle. Place bundle, seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat this 3 more times.
Brush the tops of the bundles with butter and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden.
Serve immediately or warm.
41 Responses
Bravo, this looks delicious!
Sounds delicious!
This looks really tasty. I don’t tend to have lamb all that often but I am always pleased when I do. I think this is the perfect excuse to pick some up soon.
I missed this post! How on earth did I miss this post?? This meal has my name written ALL over it. It looks sooooo goooood!
Janet Oops! I should slow down on my posting!
Hooray, I found it! Peter, this looks delicious. The recipe looks a bit intimidating, I might need some encouragement on this one. But wow does this look good. Efharisto (forgive my bad greek accent!)
Kalimera Petros, Bravo! Katapliktika! I’d love to meet you in Athens. I love to cook as well. I live in Vouliagmeni and we have a perfect coffee shop on the beach, Enplo. If you have time, drop me a line and we could meet for a Frappe. janetathensbay@gmail.com
I made this dish on Saturday evening,
it turned out absolutely fantastic my friends were very impressed
Peter, think Kefalotiri would be an okay substitute for the Graviera? How great would these be cut in 2-3 pieces for a mezes platter!?
Excellent idea for lamb leftovers. Thanks
everyone of these are a winner, great pix as well….thanks!
Brilliant Peter. Love the concept…It looks quite similar to a “kleftiko”. The cheese is the perfect filling…great for the cooler weather too.
Αν και το κÏÎας δεν είναι η αδυναμία μου, αλλά είναι το συζÏγου μου, αυτό μια μÎÏα θα το δοκιμάσω οπωσδήποτε… looks tempting!!
I’d of course say, mail it to me this instant! :)
thats a nice one. all falvours melting together in the oven. fabulous.
Delicious… delicious…. delicious!!!
One of my favourite dishes!!
Yours looks fabulous:)))
OH MY!! Peter, this looks soooooo scrumptious & I have phyllo pastry! Love all the ingredients.
How would I feel? I’d feel ecstatic. This is one of the best things I’ve seen on your blog – and there are so many fabulous things here.
What a perfect combo! It can’t get any better!
Cheers,
Rosa
Peter, this is perfect! I love all of the fabulous Greek flavors served up in this phyllo packet!
Beautiful presentation. I bet it was wonderful!
It looks delicious, Peter, and I like that it includes all the food groups in a tasty package.
I want one of those little bundles of joy right now. :)
With a hot pocket like this, the French can throw their quiche out the window!
I approve of all in one dishes :) This looks incredibly tasty!
i’m being completely honest when i say that i would definitely eat one of these, and you know how i feel about eating those fluffy baby sheep. i love tomatoes, phyllo, peppers, spinach, and gruyere, so there’s no way i could help myself. you win, peter. my resistance has been defeated.
What a beautiful presentation! I think everything looks better wrapped in phyllo.
Another lamb recipe! Actually this is a fantastic way to use left over lamb (although I like to eat it cold the next day…) :-)
Wow, this looks scrumptious! You totally rocked that phyllo!
Now that is a gourmet hot pocket ;)
Not just favored Greek ingredients. I’m loving everything in that packet and I’m not even Greek! I’m just tasting that lovely pastry and that tender lamb with cheese getting all melty and tomato juice dripping everywhere. Mmmmmmm
I am always searching for interesting ways to use the leftover filo. This would probably be delicious with chicken as well which I always have on hand….but I would never turn down the succulent lamb.
looks like heaven – send me one!
I remember seeing your teaser pic of this on Facebook. It looks and sounds fantastic Peter! I have to admit (like Joanna did) I tend to grab pieces of cold lamb and munch on it that way the next day. But I will now keep this in mind to spruce up any lamb leftovers that we might have down the line.
You could sell these and make a fortune! I’m serious…
Hello Peter!
What a divine & tasty looking dish! Superb & top food this is!!
Very appetizing pictures too!!
Peter this look AMAZING!! I hope you made one for me?!!
How’d I feel? Pretty happy and very special! And I’d say thank you very much, Peter, for such a fantastic meal. This looks fabulously good!
Those look really good! I like those nice big chunks of cheese in them. :)
I don’t know how I missed this. I am working on a recipe for a lamb dish and came over to search your blog for some inspiration. It doesn’t disappoint Peter! I am going to try adding spinach to my dish. Thanks, as usual.
LL