Feta Tart (Alevropita)

I missed our local Greek Festival this year.  Too bad for me.  I still think about the Loukoumades, or fried dough balls drizzled with honey, that my friends introduced me to this time last year.  Boo hoo.  But then, this month's Saveur magazine helped relieve my pity with an insanely beautiful article on Greece with dozens of new Greek recipes for me to try. 
I'm no stranger to Greek food, my Hubby and I spent the last few days of our honeymoon in a small seaside town outside of Athens, where we enjoyed amazing food including one meal that we would classify as "top 5 meals ever".  And yet, Greek food continues to reveal itself to me in new ways.  I still find new and exciting recipes to try.  The minute I saw this recipe for Feta Tart I knew this would be next on my list.  And when I realized that this is a tart that doesn't involve making pastry or pie crust of any kind...well, my love and appreciation for Greek food runneth over.

Feta Tart (Alevropita)
Origin, Saveur, Issue #131


Notes:  Be careful when adding the oil to the super hot pan.  My pan warped a bit but then settled back to shape.  Just keep a safe distance.  Working quickly, make sure you distribute the batter evenly to all corners of the pan and try to get the most uniform layer possible, even if it seems thin.  This will ensure even cooking and crispiness.


Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons vodka

1 egg

1 1/4 cups flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

10 oz. feta, crumbled 

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 

(1 cup water)

 

Heat oven to 500°. Put an 18" x 13" x 1" rimmed baking sheet into oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the oil, vodka, egg, and 1 cup water in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and whisk until smooth.

Brush remaining oil over bottom of hot pan (or just swirl the oil around pan around carefully) and add batter, smoothing batter with a rubber spatula to coat the bottom evenly, if necessary. Distribute cheese evenly over batter, and dot with butter. Bake, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Serves 8-10