‘Briam’ - Baked layered veggies with garlic, Feta Cheese and Greek Olive Oil

‘Briam’ takes roasted vegetables to a whole new level of delicious.

You need just a few simple pantry ingredients: potatoes, zucchini, red onions, red or yellow bell peppers, garlic, parsley and ripened tomatoes. But the Greek flavours from dried mountain oregano, authentic Greek feta or grated myzythra cheese and a generous drizzle of excellent extra virgin olive oil, makes all the difference.

Plus, this recipe is text-book Mediterranean diet. Vegetarian. Zero Cholesterol. Low Carb. Gluten Free.

Stelios IakovidisNovember 5, 2022veggie, bake, vegetable roast, greek, food, recipe, vegetarian, vegan, healthy, nutrition, Mediterranean, diet, low calorie, feta cheese, olive oil

Spicy lamb and vine leaf pies with Orzo pasta and Feta cheese

As the weather cools down, I’d like to introduce you to a wonderful variation of the dolma 'stuffed vine leaf' concept. Here we use the vine leaf as the signature ingredient to create a unique comfort oven bake, using classic Greek and east Mediterranean ingredients.

I love this version because the grape leaves get crispy and a little caramelised and the flavours of the lamb, orzo and feta combine to give such a range of flavours. It’s so easy to make this bake, with no intricate vine leaf rolling, promise!

You’ll have a mouth watering oven bake ready in 45 minutes and your home will be filled with dreamy scents and accents of this wonderful dish.

Yield: serves 4 people

Pie Ingredients

1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and drizzling
12 large fresh or jarred, drained grape leaves
1 cup finely chopped leek (white parts only)
1⁄3 cup finely chopped carrot (about 1 small carrot)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
500g. ground lamb (can use beef if you prefer)
100g cup cooked orzo pasta
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1⁄2 tbsp. dried oregano or 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. chilli flakes, plus more to serve
1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 1 tsp.), plus the juice of 1/2 orange
1 tbsp. Greek thyme honey

For the topping sauce

1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 150g)
150g Greek Yogurt

Instructions

Lightly grease four 4-inch tart pans or small baking bowls with the olive oil. Set the tart pans on a baking sheet.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the fresh or jarred grape leaves and cook for 1 minute. Drain the leaves, then run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Trim away the stems, then set the leaves aside.
In a medium skillet set over medium-low heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the leek and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned, 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside until fully cooled.
Add the lamb (or beef) mince, orzo, parsley, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, salt, chilli flakes, orange zest, and black pepper and mix well with your hands to incorporate the ingredients well.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, honey, and the remaining ¼ cup oil. Brush one side of each vine leaf with some of the honey oil mixture.
Lay three leaves, brushed sides down, into each of the 4 small pans, overlapping the leaves slightly to cover the pan with about 2 inches overhang around the pan’s edges. Add about 1 cup of the meat mixture to the center and spread gently to fill. Fold the edges of the leaves over the filling to cover, then press down slightly to help mold the tart and filling to fit the pan. Repeat with the remaining three pies. Brush the tops with the remaining honey oil mixture.
Bake until the top of the leaves are crispy and the meat is cooked through, 20-25 minutes (depending on the size and type of baking vessel you use).
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a blender or small food processor add the feta, 3 tablespoons boiling hot water, and the greek yogurt; blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a small serving bowl.
Unmold the tarts by inverting each one onto a plate. top each with a dollop of the sauce, a drizzle of olive oil and some paprika pepper to taste.