Rice strudel (Rizopita)

This dish is served at fasting times- not only during Lent, but many Greeks also fast for 2 weeks around the 15th of August.

350 g filo pastry sheets

500 g risotto rice (arborio)

125 g raisins

125 g currants

200 g sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon, dash salt

125 ml olive oil

 

Use a baking pan of about 25 x 35, or 30 x 40

 

Cook the rice with the salt in about 650 ml water until done, without letting it dry out. Mix in the currants, then allow to cool. Add the sugar, raisins and cinnamon.

Heat oven to about 225 °C. Oil the baking pan with some of the olive oil. Lay a sheet of filo in the pan and brush with oil, and lay another sheet of filo on top of that and brush with oil. Spread out about 1/3 of the rice mixture on the filo (it will be sticky!), then place a third filo sheet on top, brush with oil, then spread another third of the rice mixture over it, then the fourth filo sheet, brush with oil, then the last of the rice, and top with the last 2 filo layers, each one brushed with oil.

Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then decrease heat to 150 °C and bake a further 30 minutes until puffed and golden.

 

Cut in squares, and eat warm or cold. Great for picnics!