Chania Boureki or Courgette Boureki

The Chania boureki, also known as courgette boureki, is a traditional dish from western Crete. This pie is filled with a mixture of courgette, potato, tyromalama or malaka, mizithra cheese, staka, plenty of finely chopped spearmint, and olive oil. It's a customary dish that graces the festive table on the religious feast day of the 15^th of August.

Ingredients for the Dough:

• 1/2 kilo all-purpose flour (approximately)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teacup olive oil
• Water, as needed (approximately 1 cup)

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 1.5 kg courgette
• 1.5 kg potatoes
• 1 kg mizithra cheese from Chania
• 0.5 kg tyromalama or malaka
• A bunch of spearmint (finely chopped)
• Sea salt, pepper

Other Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons staka
• 1 teacup olive oil
• 1 glass of milk

For Spreading the Sheet:

• 1 egg
• Sesame seeds (white and black)

Procedure:

Step 1: Thinly slice courgette, potatoes, and pumpkin and place in a colander. Salt and let them drain.

Step 2: Prepare the dough: Put the flour in a bowl, create a small well, and pour in the remaining dough ingredients. Knead until a fluffy dough forms. Let it rest for about an hour.

Step 3: Prepare the filling: Mix potatoes, courgette, sea salt, pepper, and spearmint in a bowl. Add crumbled cheeses and mix well.

Step 4: Prepare the phyllo: Roll out a thick phyllo sheet for the base. Grease the baking pan and lay the phyllo sheet, letting it protrude from the sides. Spread the filling, then pour olive oil, milk, and add staka. Cover with another sheet, joining the top and bottom.

Step 5: Carve the pie into portions, brush with a beaten egg and olive oil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 170 °C for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Initially, cover with baking paper for 1 hour, then uncover and bake another 30 minutes until golden. Allow the pie to cool slightly before serving.

Lena Igoumenaki

President of the Cretan Cuisine Festival Association