Yeast-Olive Oil Pastry for Tomato-Feta Pies

It's become a new year's eve tradition for me to cook something new and wonderful on the last day of the year. This year, having been sick as the proverbial dog, I didn't get out in time to pick up any interesting ingredients. Staring dazedly around the kitchen around suppertime, I noticed a bunch of sorry-looking tomatoes on the  counter and wondered what I could do to make them wonderful.

I had some creamy goat cheese and a nice chunk of ham left over from Christmas and thought maybe a Mediterranean-style pie would be just the ticket.

That's when I was inspired by Martha. [No, not the Martha you're thinking because I don't actually like her recipes - they tend to disappoint. The new Martha is Martha Rose Shulman, who writes the New York Times Recipes for Health.] Tomato and goat cheese pie was the result - with some olives for pizzazz.

Paul said the crust tasted like shortbread - just not sweet. He also said we should make it again. As far as a crust goes, it  held together with the soggy tomatoes - even the next day. It

I rolled the dough out quite thin. This recipe would line two pie plates.

Yeast-Olive Oil Pastry

2 tsp yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1/4 tsp sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup unbleached flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the sugar in the water. Add yeast and let sit until creamy. 
(Auntie Fran always nuked it for about 6 seconds and let it sit in the microwave for about 5-10 minutes, and I still do this.)

Beat the egg and mix in olive oil.
Combine yeast mixture, egg mixture, flours and salt. 

Mix with a fork or wood spoon until dough comes together in a mass.
 

On a lightly floured surface, knead for a few minutes - add flour if it’s too sticky.
Don’t overwork it.  When it’s nice and smooth, put it in a bowl to rise. 

Rub a little olive oil over the surface and cover with plastic wrap.  Let double in size for about an hour.
 

In the meanwhile, assemble the ingredients for the filling.

Look around the fridge, there has to be something to add to the pie.

Filling
4 ounces feta cheese whisked with 2 eggs until smooth.
sliced tomatoes
chopped ham
olives
1 large onion that has been sauteed until soft and transparent
feta cheese for sprinkling on top.
 

Assemble the pie
Gently knead the dough a couple of times and divide in half. (If you aren’t making 2 pies, you can refrigerate or freeze the dough for later use.)
 

Roll into thin a thin round between two pieces of parchment paper.
Brush thin layer of olive oil onto pie plate then line with dough.
 

Brush a layer of Dijon mustard over the crust.
 

Spoon on the first layer of onion and spread to edges.
 

Pour feta/egg mixture over onions and spread around.
 

Add ham, olives and tomatoes.
Sprinkle with feta cheese.
Bake at 375º for about half an hour. Watch to make sure it doesn’t burn.