Eggplant mini pies with Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO & pepper sauce

INGREDIENTS

1/2 kg crust 

1 kg eggplants (long)

300gr Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO Kalogeraki

2 spoonfulls Prince Dessert with yoghurt culture Kalogeraki

2 big onions grated 

1 pealed tomato grated

1 teaspoon sugar

1 pinch cinammon

1 cup olive oil

salt, pepper

FOR THE PEPPER SAUCE:

350gr baked (in jar) red peppers "Florinis" 

1 cup walnuts

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clover

80ml olive oil

6 spoonfulls Prince Dessert with yoghurt culture Kalogeraki

salt

IMPLEMENTATION

For stuffing peal off the eggplants and grate them, add salt and set aside to take off all of their water and sweeten. Then dry them well with hands. Then saute in medium heat (add olive oil gradually as eggplants will absorb it immediately and we want to cook them slowly, so take your time and do not rush).

Then add the onions and continue the saute, salt, pepper, sugar, wait until the onion is ready and add a bit of more olive oil if needed. Add the grated tomato and stir until the mixture is even and the water is absorbed. When ready, add the cinammon (not earlier because it will bitter the taste of the food).

Set aside and let it cool. We can prepare the stuffing the previous day if we want (to save time).

In a bowl mix the Cretan Xynomyzithra PDO Kalogeraki together with the 2 spoonfulls of Prince Dessert with yoghurt culture Kalogeraki to become paste.

Take the crust join to leaves together. Cut in 5 strips vertically. Add a bit of our filling on the base of each strip and on top of it a bit of the Xynomyzithra/Yoghurt filling. Fold in a triangle and at the end of the folding with wet fingers paste the crust to secure it while you bake it (not to open).

Continue for all the crust and filling.

Either you fry the mini pies for 1-2' each side until they become golden. Put them on a grease proof paper to absorb the extra oil.

Or you may bake them in 180C for 25'. Bake without coating them with olive oil.

In the meantime we have prepared the sauce. In a food processor mix the peppers without the juice in the jar. Then add walnuts, basil, garlic, salt and mix well. Put the mixture in a bowl and add the yoghurt (mix again very well). Try it in case you want extra salt.

Serve in a plater with the pepper sauce on top or sideways to dip them in!