Method

For the pastry: Place the flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the egg, raki, salt and olive oil into the well. Begin kneading, gradually adding the water until you have a moderately soft dough. You may not need all the water, or you may need a bit more. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

For the filling: Coarsely grate or crumble the cheese and transfer it to a bowl. Add the sugar, zest and aromatics, and mix with your hands, adding the eggs one at a time. Wait for each egg to be fully absorbed before adding the next – you may not need all of them. The mixture should be firm.

Assembly: Divide the dough into four portions and, using a pasta machine, roll each one into thin sheets, starting from the widest setting and gradually moving to thinner ones. If you don’t have a pasta machine, roll the dough out on a floured surface with a rolling pin, as thin as possible. Using a round cutter about 8 cm in diameter, cut out small discs. Alternatively, you can cut the dough into squares. Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each disc. Using a toothpick, lift the edges of the dough at small intervals and pinch with your thumb and index finger to form a small tart with a ruffled edge that encloses the filling. The more pinches you make, the better the result.

Preheat the oven to 150°C, on the conventional setting (top and bottom heat). Arrange the pies on a baking sheet, preferably aluminum, lined with parchment paper, and sprinkle each one with granulated sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Originally published in Greek at gastronomos.gr.