This recipe was sent out via the Greek family communication network (email) shortly before the holidays. In addition to having our own family newsletter that comes out twice a year, and a family reunion at the farm once a year, and the occasional cousins gatherings throughout the year, we have a Dimotakis family group email so that we can easily blast announcements, jokes, and recipes to the entire family. This doesn’t even include the Cretans Like Us Facebook page that was started by several of my cousins. Who says Greeks don’t know how to stay in touch!
Anyway, it’s easy to see why this would catch our attention because baklava doesn’t have tomatoes and feta in it. This recipe is from Maria Elias who has a book called The Modern Vegetarian and lives in England. She has a good solid background in food, grew up in a Greek restaurant family and is passionate about what she does. I appreciate her thinking outside the box….BUT, this isn’t a baklava!
It’s a Tomato Almond Date Pita. I understand why she chose to call it a Baklava because it does have nuts and honey in it and most non-Greeks understand what a Baklava is, however I think calling it a Baklava does it a disservice since it’s not a dessert and is a delicious mix of flavors which can be enjoyed as an entrée with a side salad, or as a side dish to a leg of lamb (as she suggests).
I made this for my family recently and it was a big hit, with several guests taking to go boxes of it home. The only adjustment I made to the recipe is I used three Spanish onions instead of five. Five is a lot of onions! Maybe onions are smaller in England? She says the recipe serves six, that’s a very generous serving. I made an 8×13 pan and got 16 (baklava-sized) pieces out of it.
If you enjoy sweet and savory flavors this will be a mainstay in your repertoire. Best to reheat leftovers in the oven or a toaster oven and not a microwave since microwaves make filo mushy, and the whole point of filo is to be flaky and crunchy.
