Koftopita: Voreio Ipirotiki/Politsanitiki Vasilopita from the region of Northern Epirus
1 pound #2 bulgur wheat
1 cup milk
1 8 oz container of cottage cheese
1.5 pounds feta, crumbled
4 eggs, beaten
1 stick (¼ pound) butter, melted
- Put wheat in big saucepan. Fill with water and soak overnight. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan, add ¾ cup of fresh water and 1 cup of milk to the wheat. Bring to boil. Keep reducing temperature so that it is simmering and bubbling as the wheat drinks up the liquid and gets thick. Stir often. (You are looking for the consistency of thick oatmeal.) Let cool.
- When mixture reaches room temperature, add crumbled feta, melted butter, cottage cheese, and the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly.
- Butter a large pizza pan. Layer pan with buttered phyllo leaves as for any pita. Add the filling mixture – don’t forget to add the coin!
- Bake at 350ºF.