Avgolemono Soup

Chicken and stock

• If you already have 2 liters stock (you can do 50-50 water) and around 2 cups of shredded chicken, skip this section.
• Over medium heat, melt the butter, sautee the carrots for 3-4 minutes, add celery and sautee for 3-4 minutes, then the onions for another 3-4 minutes.
• Add 3.5 liters of chicken water/broth/stock, bay leaves, sliced garlic, salt, and stir well.
• Add the chicken, increase temp to medium-high.
• Boil and cover for 60-90 minutes until internal temperature is 165F and the meat is falling off the bones.
• Strain out the solids.
• Set the meat aside, and shred up 2 cups.

Soup Base

• In a large pot, bring the stock, and rice to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter and caramelize the diced onions, and add them to the simmering soup when ready.
• Also meanwhile, shred up the chicken if needed, and add it to the soup.

Avgolemono sauce

• Whisk up the eggs with the pepper.
• Keep whisking, and slowly add the lemon juice.
• Keep whisking, and very slowly add the hot broth, 1/4 cup at a time.
• Once everything is fully incorporated, pour the sauce into the soup pot.
• Stir the sauce into the soup, remove from heat, cover, and let sit 5 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 375F
• In a large pot on medium-low, melt all the cheese, butter, and whipping cream. Slowly stir, and make sure it doesn't stick, or burn. Sprinkle half the salt, stir it in, and slowly add more to taste. This will largely depend on the saltiness of the feta.
• Whisk up the eggs, and slowly pour into the cheese mixture, remove from heat, and stir it until completely incorporated.
• This needs to be used before it completely sets, approximately 20 minutes.

Pita assembly

• Layer 4-6 sheets of phyllo in a baking dish, brush butter over each layer. Phyllo hanging over the edge is fine - this can be folded over.
• Fill with the cheese filling, about 1" deep is good.
• If you're trimming the edges of the overhang phyllo, cut it in line with the top of the pan.
• Layer 4-6 more sheets of phyllo on top, brush butter over each layer.
• Fold the overhang over the top of the assembled pita, or trim the top, this is mostly optional, and as long as there's at least 4-6 layers of phyllo on the bottom, side, and top, it will be fine.
• You can pre-score the top with a very sharp knife (optional).
• Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
• Remove from oven, and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.

Triangle assembly

• Cut a 2" wide and 14" long strip of phyllo.
• Put a tablespoon in the bottom corner of the strip.
• Brush the strip with butter.
• Fold the corner with the cheese over to make a triangle. Fold up, and repeat (like folding a flag). The butter will keep it all together.
• Bake it on parchment paper-lined sheet until golden brown, approx 12-15 minutes.

If assembly goes wrong

• If you have any filling left over, or torn phyllo, you can save the day by shredding the phyllo into small strips, toss it in a bowl with more melted butter (or olive oil). Think papier-mâché. Use this to line the bottom of a pan/casserole dish/muffin tray/etc. Fill with the cheese mix, and top with more of the phyllo. Bake at 375F until golden brown.