070Exohiko, lamb in pastry

Method

Individual filo parcels with lamb and kefalograviera. Serve one parcel per person with a crisp green salad or boiled wild greens.

You will need

• baking tray
• pastry brush
• mixing bowl
• baking parchment

1. In a mixing bowl, toss the lamb cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the minced garlic, dried oregano, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and plenty of black pepper, then rest for 15 minutes. 15 min Ready when: lamb is fragrant and lightly marinated
2. Stir the diced kefalograviera, crumbled feta, and diced tomato into the seasoned lamb. 2 min Ready when: filling evenly combined
3. Preheat a conventional oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 10 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: oven reaches set temperature
4. Melt the butter and mix it with the remaining olive oil in a small bowl. 2 min Ready when: smooth melted fat mixture
5. Lay down one sheet of filo, brush lightly with the butter mixture, layer a second and then a third filo sheet on top, brushing each thoroughly. 4 min Ready when: filo stack is evenly brushed without dry spots
6. Place one quarter of the filling in the centre of the layered filo, fold the sides inward over the meat, and roll up tightly into a neat parcel; repeat to make four parcels. 8 min Ready when: four compact, tightly tucked parcels
7. Place the parcels seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet and brush their tops and sides generously with the remaining melted butter mixture. 2 min Ready when: parcels well coated in butter
8. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) until the filo pastry is deeply crisp and golden and the lamb inside is completely tender, about 55 minutes. 55 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: filo is crisp, amber brown, and bubbling slightly at the seams
9. Let the parcels rest on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to plates to allow the molten cheese and juices to settle. 10 min Ready when: pastry remains crisp while juices restabilise

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Make ahead and storing

Filling can be seasoned and mixed up to 8 hours ahead; assemble and wrap in filo just before baking so the pastry does not turn soggy.

Best enjoyed freshly baked; keep leftovers chilled for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot oven to restore pastry crunch.

Substitutions

• graviera-kritis or mature pecorino for kefalograviera cheese. Provides the essential salty, firm melt.
• pork shoulder or veal neck for boneless lamb shoulder. Commonly encountered in taverna variations across mainland Greece.

Common mistakes

• Using wet, unseeded tomatoes.. Excess liquid will seep straight through the filo pastry base, turning it limp and soggy during baking.
• Rolling the parcels too loosely.. The juices escape onto the tray instead of braising the meat and melting the cheeses together.

Regional variants

• In traditional Roumeliot tavernas, the parcels are wrapped tightly in parchment paper instead of filo pastry.
• Some central Greek cooks incorporate sweet peppers and fresh oregano into the filling.

About the dish

Exohiko translates roughly to 'country-style' or 'from the countryside'. Associated historically with the mountain regions of Roumeli and Thessaly, it originated as a practical celebration meal for shepherds who slow-roasted seasoned lamb scraps, hard mountain cheese, and vegetables sealed inside greaseproof paper or dough over wood embers. In modern tavernas and homes, it is typically wrapped in layers of buttered filo or rustic pastry, yielding a crisp crust that traps every drop of savoury jus and melted cheese.

Found in Central Greece, Thessaly. Cooked for sunday lunch, easter.

Cousins elsewhere

• Talaş böreği (Turkish). Features diced spiced meat and vegetables encased and baked within pastry crusts.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

933 kcal · protein 50.1 g · fat 80 g (saturated 39.3 g) · carbohydrate 4.8 g (sugars 2.2 g) · fibre 0.9 g · sodium 836 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Roumeliot pastoral baking tradition, adapted to the beloved filo-encased taverna standard..

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