Alice Zaslavsky has created a savoury kataifi pie that blends the best of quiche and pie, featuring a crispy kataifi crust, a feta and tomato filling, and a warm oregano honey drizzle. The recipe is designed for picnics, offering a portable and satisfying dish.
Kataifi pastry, often mistaken for shredded filo, is made by streaming a light batter through fine nozzles onto a heated plate, creating delicate vermicelli-like strands. Its origins trace back to the Ottoman empire, where it is used in both sweet and savoury dishes across the Balkans and Middle East.
The pastry's popularity surged earlier this year due to the Dubai chocolate trend, leading to shortages and scalping in Australia. Effi Tsoukatos of Antoniou pastry noted that demand outstripped supply, with some selling kataifi at quadruple the price.
To make the pie, kataifi is lined in a springform pan, brushed with butter, and filled with a custard of eggs, yoghurt, tomatoes, garlic, onion, oregano, and marinated feta. The remaining pastry is snipped into the custard for extra crunch. After baking, it is topped with a warm honey and oregano drizzle and pistachios.
The recipe serves as a versatile option for using leftover kataifi or trying the pastry for the first time. Zaslavsky advises bringing kataifi to room temperature before use and keeping it under a damp towel to prevent drying.
