‘I made these pastries using filo from the leftovers of a pie 5 days before. It refrigerates well and unlike other filo pastry does not tend to dry up. The pastizzi [diamond shaped pastries] are flaky and a healthier alternative to the shop bought ones. If you make them using fresh filo you will have a much smoother finish.
The combination of soft gbejna, medlars [naspli] and honey is amazing’
You will need to make a fruit compote and some other ingredients:
2 soft fresh gbejna, chopped up into small squares
6 sheets filo pastry cut into long strips
For the compote you will need:
12 medlars, pitted and roughly chopped with skin on
1 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 vanilla pod
3 tablespoons water
Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and bring the mix to a gentle boil. Continue cooking until the liquid in the pan has reduced. Taste and add more honey to suit your preferences. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 170C. Brush a baking tray with olive oil.
Cut the filo pastry into strips and lay out each strip onto a clean surface. Brush it with olive oil. Place a teaspoon of the medlar compote in the corner of the filo strip closest to you. On top of that place a small piece of chopped fresh gbejna.
Fold the pastry diagonally to create a triangle shape. Continue folding into a triangle shape. Brush the surface with olive oil and place on the baking tray.
Continue making the pastizzi until you have used up all the filling and gbejnas.
Place in a preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes until they are cripsy.
Take out of the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with more honey if desired. They are also delicious cold.
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