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Asparagus and Walnut Phyllo Pie (aka Asparagus Baklava) with Avgolemono Sauce

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Asparagus Phyllo Pie (Baklava) with Avgolemono Sauce

Not too long ago I came across this truly inspired recipe for a savoury asparagus baklava on innBrooklyn that sounded so amazingly good that I just had to try it! This asparagus phyllo pie is constructed like baklava with layers of light, flaky golden brown phyllo alternating with the layers of a walnut and asparagus filling and a cheese filling. Given the layers of cheese in this pie, it also reminds me of a lasagna, only made with phyllo instead of noodles. The combination of the cheese and the asparagus also made me think of spanakopita , a Greek spinach and feta pie that is another savoury pie made with phyllo and I could not resist swapping some feta into the recipe replacing some of the mozzarella. Continuing to be influenced by spanakopita I wanted to use some fresh herbs and dill seemed like the perfect choice.
Baklava is normally drenched in syrup and this savoury version does not forget about it but in this case the ‘syrup’ is an avgolemono sauce . An avgolemono sauce is a Greek sauce made with eggs and lemon. Although avgolemono sauces normally use a whole egg, I decided to stick with just the egg yolks to give the sauce a richer yellow colour.
Although this recipe is pretty easy, assembling all of the layers is a bit time consuming but it is definitely worth it! The asparagus phyllo pie was everything that I had been hoping for and more! You really cannot go wrong with light flaky pastry filled with asparagus, cheese and nuts! I had been a little worried about how all of the walnuts in the recipe would work out but they were quite nice and the contrasting textures added a lot to the dish. I really enjoyed the dill and lemon flavours and the lemony avgolemono sauce finished off the dish perfectly! What a great way to enjoy some of the in season local asparagus!

Asparagus and Walnut Phyllo Pie (aka Asparagus Baklava) with Avgolemono Sauce

Asparagus and Walnut Phyllo Pie (aka Asparagus Baklava) with Avgolemono Sauce

Prep Time:20 minutes Cook Time:1 hour Total Time:1 hour 20 minutes Servings: 6
ingredients
  • 2 pounds asparagus (trimmed and cleaned)
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1 lemon (zest)
  • 2 ttablespoons dill (chopped)
  • 1 cup walnuts (toasted and chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cup mozzarella (grated)
  • 1/2 cup feta (crumbled)
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • * olive oil
  • 8 ounces phyllo pastry (thawed as directed on package)
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 lemon (juice)
directions
  1. Cook the asparagus in boiling water until it just turns dark green, about 2 minutes.
  2. Drain the water, reserving 1/2 cup of it.
  3. Rinse the asparagus under cold water to stop the cooking process.
  4. Cut the asparagus into pieces roughly the size of the walnuts.
  5. Mix the asparagus, garlic, lemon zest, dill and walnuts in a bowl and set aside.
  6. Mix the cheeses.
  7. Brush the top of a sheet of phyllo pastry with olive oil and place it in a greased 8 inch square baking pan. Repeat 5 more times.
  8. Spread half of the asparagus mixture over the phyllo followed by half of the cheese.
  9. Repeat another layer of phyllo, asparagus and cheese and top with a final layer of phyllo.
  10. Cut the pie into pieces shaped as you like.
  11. Bake the pie in a preheated 350F/180C oven until golden brown on top and bubbling on the sides, about 30-45 minutes.
  12. Pull the pie out of the oven and let it cool.
  13. Whisk the egg in small sauce pan until frothy.
  14. Slowly whisk in the lemon juice followed by the reserved asparagus water.
  15. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
  16. Plate the phyllo pie and drizzle with the avgolemono sauce when ready to serve.
Similar Recipes:
Baklava
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Kolokithopita (Greek Zucchini Pie)
Asparagus with a Poached Egg in a Dill and Caper Avgolemono Sauce
Mushroom and Feta Phyllo Pie
Lamb Exohiko (Lamb Stuffed Phyllo Parcels)

Use leftover phyllo dough in:
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
Mushroom and Feta Phyllo Pie
Kolokithopita (Greek Zucchini Pie)
Agginaropita (Greek Artichoke Pie)
Mushroom and Goat Cheese Strudel with Balsamic Syrup
Tomato Tart
Baklava
Apple and Cheddar Quiche
Galaktoboureko (Greek Custard Pie)
Chicken and Date Pastilla
Roasted Pumpkin Quiche with Caramelized Onions, Gorgonzola and Sage
Strawberry Goat Cheese Banitsa
Lamb Exohiko (Lamb, Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Phyllo Parcels)
Fiddlehead and Gruyere Tart
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Ivy says

    June 1, 2010 at 3:14 am

    This sounds amazing. In Greece we would call this a "pita" as pies are made with vegetables, cheese and phyllo. I am a little bit skeptical about the avgolemono sauce.

    Reply

  12. Jamie says

    June 1, 2010 at 7:14 am

    Stunning, Kevin! I love the savory phyllo pies and this is wonderful! I love the avgolemono sauce drizzled over the whole. Wonderful flavors! Beautiful pie!

    Reply

  15. innBrooklyn says

    June 1, 2010 at 10:36 am

    How exciting to see my 'asparagus baklava' recipe inspire this gorgeous looking dish. Your photograph is really lovely (as usual) – we had trouble with photographing ours and I think having seen yours I'll be inspired to try another round of savory 'baklava' and try again. Also very interesting to read about the proper name, and origin, or the lemon sauce. -Talia

    Reply

  16. Sweet Harvest says

    June 1, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    Good grief! That just might be one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I’ve never attempted something like this but I think that’s going to have to change. Great post!

    Reply

  20. Jessica says

    June 1, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    A savory baklava!? I should have expected something like this from you kevin!
    Looks so tasty! I need to try this!

    -Jess
    asugarhigh.blogspot.com

    Reply

  23. NikiTheo says

    June 2, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    I really love to see the creations you make that come from traditional Greek dishes. This looks fantastic and uses one of my favorite green veggies so it is a must try on my list now!

    Reply

  24. Anne's Kitchen says

    June 6, 2010 at 3:11 pm

    Hey Kevin,
    this looks just amazing! I'm a massive fan of savoury baklava, but have so far only made one version (with tomato, feta, cinnamon onions and dried dates). I'll have to try this one!

    Reply

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