A loose riff on the popular Greek cheese pastry known as tiropita, this recipe mixes feta, cream cheese and eggs to create a smooth filling. Lemon zest adds a welcome accent to the sweet-salty contrast of this appetizer tasted recently on the island of Santorini.
Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
8 fresh figs, sliced
½ cup honey
Squares:
1 pound crumbled feta
1 pound cream cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 (17- by 12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
1 ¼ sticks unsalted butter, melted then cooled slightly
Sesame seeds
To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir in the sugar. Cook and stir just until the sugar has melted and is lightly browned. Remove from heat, and continue stirring until caramelized. Mix in the figs. Over low heat, mix in the honey. Continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, until thickened.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by-9-inch baking pan. Whisk together feta, cream cheese, eggs, confectioners sugar, zest and salt. Keep stack of phyllo covered with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap. Lay out each dough sheet and brush on butter. Fold in half, brush again, fold in half, cut in half. Place filling on each square of dough. Bring up sides to meet and form a smaller square packet; brush more butter on top. Bake in oven until golden brown and puffed, about 40 minutes. Serve with sauce spooned over top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 16 squares.
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