ROULO ME FILO

      Title: ROULO ME FILO
  Categories: Greek, Meats
       Yield: 4 Servings
  
            Karen Mintzias
       2 tb Butter or margarine
       1 sm Shallot or onion
   1 1/2 lb Veal, ground
     1/2 c  Chopped tomatoes
            -OR- tomato juice
       1    Cinnamon stick; -OR-
       1 ts -Ground Cinnamon
            Salt; if necessary
            Freshly ground black pepper
       1 ts Chopped fresh basil
            -(more if desired)
       2    Eggs; separated
   1 1/2 c  Thick Saltsa Aspri
     1/2 c  Grated mizithra cheese
            -OR- kefalotyri cheese
     1/2 ts Grated nutmeg
            Heavy greaseproof paper
            -(about 20 by 20 inches)
      12    Filo pastry sheets
     1/3 c  Butter or margarine
            - melted and warm
       2    Eggs, hard-cooked; sliced
       1 tb Chopped fresh parsley
  
   Heat the butter in a large frying pan, then saute the onion until
   soft. Add the meat, mashing it with a fork until the raw color
   disappears. Add the tomato and cinnamon, cover and simmer about 20
   minutes, stirring once or twice.  Remove the lid and season
   judiciously (if the cheese is salty, don't add salt until the very
   end). Stir in the basil, then remove the cinnamon stick and cool.
   Using a wooden spoon, mix the egg whites into the meat.  Meanwhile,
   prepare the saltsa aspri (it must be thick) and combine with the egg
   yolks, cheese, and nutmeg. Taste to see if salt is needed.
   
   To make the loaf, spread the baking paper flat on your work surface.
   Lay a sheet of filo (keeping the rest covered with a damp towel or
   waxed paper) in the center of the paper and brush with butter.
   Continue laying filo, one sheet on top of another, brushing each with
   butter, to make a large "base" on which to roll the meat loaf (about
   15 x 15 inches). Spread half of the saltsa aspri in the center of the
   filo, alowing wide margins for turning later.  Spread the meat
   mixture over the sauce to a length of about 9 inches. Lay the egg
   slices over the meat, cover with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle
   with parsley. Turn the edges of the filo up over the meat and roll
   into a loaf. Fold the paper over the loaf, secure it, and place, seam
   side down, in a baking pan.  Bake for 1 hour in moderate oven (350
   F), removing the paper after 35 minutes to allow the filo to get
   crisp. Brush the outer surface of the filo with butter or margarine
   for a higher golden chestnut color.
   
   With wide spatulas, lift the loaf onto a warm platter. Serve
   immediately, with fresh green salad, black olives, and a heady wine.
   
   Source: The Food of Greece - by Vilma Liacouras Chantiles ISBN:
   0-517-27888-X
   
   Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
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