Courgette-and-Basil Filo

Ingredients

1 pkt Frozen filo pastry

6 mediums Courgette (zucchini)

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Pine nuts

2 tablespoons Virgin olive oil

1 small Red onion diced into ¼-inch pieces

Pepper to taste

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Chopped basil (loosely packed)

3 tablespoons Parsley, minced

1 cup White wine or water

2 Eggs

1 cup Parmesan, grated

3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

8 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted (or a mixture of butter

Preparation

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. Remove filo pastry from freezer and let it come to room temperature while you prepare the filling. Unfold the dough, and cut the stack of sheets in two. If you are making just one recipe, refold half the dough, and wrap it in plastic. It can either be refrozen or kept for a few days in the refrigerator. Cover the sheets to be used with a sheet of waxed paper covered in turn with a damp kitchen towel, to keep them from becoming dry and brittle. Grate the courgette on the large holes of a hand grater or in a food processor. Toss with the salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Then drain and s

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the courgette, season with freshly ground black pepper, and cook another 4 minutes; then add the garlic, basil, parsley and white wine or water. Cover for 3 to 4 minutes, and remove from heat. Beat the eggs, stir in the cheeses, then the cooked vegetables. Check the seasoning. Brush a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan with the melted butter. Using half of the filo pastry, place each sheet of filo into the pan and brush with butter, or mixture of butter and olive oil, and scatter with pinenuts.

Brush the top layer with butter and spread the filling over it. Continue layering the rest of the pastry sheets. If the butter begins to congeal, reheat it so it spreads easily. Cut the assembled pastry into 3-inch squares, then into triangles, making sure you cut through all the layers; cover and refrigerate the pastry if you will not be baking right away. Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until browned. Serve the pastries warm from the oven, slightly cooled, or at room temperature.

Makes one 9-by-13-inch filopastry.