For the dough
500 g strong white flour
500 g flour suitable for bread making
50 g fresh yeast (or equivalent dry yeast)
100 g melted butter
200 ml milk
1 egg
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp salt
For the filling
500 g kasseri cheese, roughly grated
150 g butter
Optional – a few oregano leaves
Optional – 1 slice ham and bacon for each peinirli
Preparation
1. Warm the milk to make it slightly tepid and put in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the honey and dissolve it.
3. Add the yeast and dissolve it.
4. Mix the 2 types of flour together and then add 200 g of this mixture to the milk and mix well.
5. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, to activate the yeast and rise.
6. Put the remaining flour in a large bowl and add the salt and melted butter.
7. Beat the egg in a little tepid water and add to the mixture.
8. Add the flour and yeast mixture to this mixture and knead well, adding some tepid water to make a non-sticky, pliable dough.
9. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in a warm place for approx. 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
10. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.
11. Roll each ball out flat and give them an oval shape.
12. Spread the grated cheese lengthwise in the centre of each one. You can sprinkle a few leaves of oregano on top if you wish.
(If you are using ham and bacon, put the
slice of ham at the bottom, the cheese on top
of it and the slice of bacon on top of that)
13. Looking at the dough with the oval-shape horizontal in front of you, take the top left and bottom right corners and fold them in a little bit toward the centre.
14. Then take the top right and bottom left corners and do the same.
15. Pinch the two ends of the oval together so that you get the boat-like shape.
16. Cut the 150 g butter into 8 equal pieces and place in the centre of each.
17. Sprinkle a shallow oven dish with some flour, place the 8 peinirli on it and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.
18. Then put them in a pre-heated oven at 250°C for 20-30 minutes, until they are golden brown.
Serve warm.