Author Notes
We've been having late season blizzards here in the midwest, and making this cozy pie helps to keep us happy until it's warm enough to go outside again. It's fun to serve, people really seem to like it, and it's and cheap, coming in at around $1.25 per serving. —Magpye
Ingredients
- Filo Crust
-
1/3 cup
parmesan cheese, grated
-
5 tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted
-
6
pieces filo dough, 12x12 inch sheets (ok to patch some together)
- Pasta, Sauce and Crumb topping
-
8 ounces
elbow macaroni
-
1 tablespoon
unsalted butter, melted
-
2 ounces
American cheese, grated
-
2 ounces
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
-
1
can evaporated milk
-
1
egg
-
¼ - ½ teaspoons
hot sauce (use your favorite, and the larger amount if you like your food a little spicy)
-
¼ teaspoons
ground black pepper
-
1 teaspoon
mustard powder
-
1
clove garlic, minced
-
1 teaspoon
salt
-
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter, melted
-
1/2 cup
fine dry bread crumbs
-
1/4 cup
parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
- Filo Crust
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-
Brush a deep dish 9” pie pan with a little of the butter and set aside.
-
Cut 6 sheets of filo, measuring 12x12 inches. It’s ok to patch some smaller pieces together to make a sheet, but be sure to have at least 2 whole pieces. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
-
Starting with a whole sheet, lay it flat on the counter and brush with some of the melted butter from step b. above. Don’t soak the dough, but do be sure to coat the entire piece. Sprinkle 1/5 of the cheese from step a. lightly and evenly over the sheet
-
Lay on another sheet of filo, rotated slightly so that the corners don’t line up. Brush with butter and sprinkle with cheese as above.
-
Repeat with remaining layers. Butter, but do not sprinkle cheese on the 6th and final layer.
-
Lift crust and gently press into pie pan. Be sure to press firmly into the pan, but try not to tear the filo sheets. Fold outward and tuck in the filo that sticks up over the pie pan to make a neat edge.
-
Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack. Remove and set aside.
Leave oven on, set to 400 degrees.
- Pasta, Sauce and Crumb topping
-
While crust is in the oven:
Make Crumb topping: Mix bread crumbs, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and 2 TBS butter in a small bowl, set aside.
-
Bring 2 qts of water and 2 tsp salt to a boil. Add pasta and cook until very al dente (about 6 minutes). The pasta should be slightly undercooked. Drain and return to pan, adding the remaining 1 TBS butter.
-
Mix milk, egg, garlic, mustard, pepper, salt, and hot sauce, whisking until smooth.
-
Return pasta to heat, and add the milk mixture and grated cheeses. Warm over medium heat, stirring gently, until cheese begins to melt. Cook for another minute and remove from heat.
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Pour pasta mix into prepared filo crust and top evenly with bread crumb mixture.
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Bake for 15 minutes, or until crumbs are toasted golden and crunchy.
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Rest for 5 minutes and then cut into wedges and serve.
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