This is a recipe to impress! In fact, any time I use phyllo dough, my friends and family rave about the results. Like baklava, this recipe uses honey and walnuts to make a sweet treat. As always, organic ingredients produce the best results for your health, taste, and the environment. It is challenging to find organic phyllo dough, but you can get it from the Fillo Factory! If your phyllo dough is frozen, be sure to defrost it thoroughly. It takes great patience to separate each piece of flaky dough, so this recipe is not one to attempt when you are in rush.

Greek Walnut Pie

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To make the pie filling, combine in a medium-sized bowl, then set aside:

• 1 cup honey
• 1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 1 Tablespoon melted butter
• 2 eggs or 3 Tablespoons of soymilk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of arrowroot powder
• 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts

To assemble the pie crust, butter a 10-inch pie plate. You will need:

• 12 leaves of phyllo dough
• 1/2 cup of melted butter

Lay 1 phyllo dough leaf over the pie plate, allowing it to hang over the edges. Lightly brush the phyllo dough with butter, then lay out another sheet of dough. Repeat until you have a total of four sheets stacked and buttered. Then, gently press the dough into the bottom of the pie plate and tightly roll up the overhanging sides along the edge of the pie plate. Pour the honey and walnut filling into the pie shell.

To make the top crust, peel one sheet of dough and lay it on the counter. Brush it lightly with butter, then roll it up tightly lengthwise. Lay this phyllo dough coil on top of the filling, along the edge of the pie plate. Repeat coiling buttered phyllo dough leaves and laying them onto the pie top to form a spiral pattern towards the center. It should take approximately 8 coiled phyllo leaves to form the top of the Greek Walnut Pie.

On top of the finished pie, sprinkle:

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  

Then brush any leftover butter along the edges of the pie. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, then let sit for about an hour before serving.

This recipe originated in the Horn of the Moon Cookbook, which I first discovered while visiting a friend in Paris, France. This recipe does use a lot of butter, and I have never tried making it vegan with margarine, but I have made it without eggs. I love Greek vegetarian meals, and I think I could live off of Mediterranean food (desserts included)!