A portokalopita is a Greek dessert that is preferably enjoyed with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
For 8 to 10 people
- 4 eggs
- 235 ml neutral oil + extra,
- before greasing
- 200 grams Greek yogurt
- (with about 5% fat)
- 100 grams of granulated sugar
- 1 orange, the grated peel
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
- Pinch of salt
- 450 grams filo pastry, thawed
For the syrup
- 400 grams of granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 orange
- Pinch of salt
This is how you make it
The syrup: Place the sugar and 475 ml water in a saucepan. Add the anise, star anise and cinnamon stick. Cut two strips of peel from the orange and add those too. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until it becomes a thick syrup. Then let it cool completely.
The portokalopita: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Grease a round baking tin of approximately 25 cm with some neutral oil. Take a large bowl and beat the eggs and oil in it until they are thickened. Mix in the yoghurt, sugar, grated orange peel, baking powder, anise and salt. Tear the filo dough into large pieces (about the size of your hand) and gently mix them into the yogurt mixture. This works best with your hands. Make sure every piece of dough is well covered. Then pour the batter into the greased baking tin. Place the Greek bread pudding in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown.
Remove the warm bread pudding from the oven and poke holes in it with a skewer or chopstick. Slowly pour the cooled syrup over it. Then let the bread pudding stand for another 30 minutes so that the syrup can fully penetrate.
Serve the portokalopita lukewarm or at room temperature. That’s when it tastes best.
