Leek and Matzo Pie (Mina di Prasa Kon Keso)

By stancec44

Ingredients

• 5 leeks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, olive oil or margarine
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup ricotta or farmer’s cheese
• 3 eggs, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Few gratings nutmeg
• 4 matzos
• 1-1/3 cups grated kashkaval or Gruyère cheese (see note)

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 90mins
Adapted from digital.olivesoftware.com

Preparation

Step 1

Trim most of green from each leek, halve leeks lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise. Rinse leek slices well and drain. You should have about 3 1/2 cups.

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, adding water 1/4 cup at a time and allowing it to evaporate before adding more, continuing until leeks are very tender and water has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Drain leek-onion mixture well. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add ricotta, two of the eggs and the dill, salt, pepper and nutmeg. (May be made ahead until this point and held in the refrigerator, covered, up to two days. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Oil an 8-inch square baking pan.

Beat the remaining egg in a shallow pan large enough to hold a matzo. Pour cool water into a second pan large enough to hold a matzo. Soak matzos, one at a time, in water for 1-2 minutes, then dip into egg and place three of them into prepared baking dish. Mound on leek-onion mixture and sprinkle with about 1 cup of the grated cheese. Top with final egg-coated matzo and sprinkle on remaining cheese.

Bake until well-browned, 30-40 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Use a serrated knife to cut into squares.

Note: Find kashkaval cheese at Russian or Romanian markets. Look for Kosher for Passover cheeses at the Safeway Burlingame store.