Mesh Om Ali (Phyllo Milk Pie)
Mesh Om Ali (Phyllo Milk Pie)
Ingredients
⇵
FOR THE MILK PIE:
FOR SERVING:
Instructions
TO PREPARE THE PHYLLO MILK PIE:
-
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 200C/390F.
-
Brush some of the melted butter all over the bottom and sides of a large baking dish. The dish should be about the same length as your phyllo and wide enough not keep the phyllo relaxed (I used an 11"X15"/ 28cmX38cm rectangular dish). Set aside.
-
Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time, with the long side facing you, gather up the sheet and scrunch it into a loose fan-like strip. Don’t worry about folding it into perfect pleats or if it tears; it’s meant to look messy and voluminous, so that it properly fills up the dish.
-
Transfer the scrunched phyllo sheet to one side of the buttered dish. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets, arranging them one next to the other.
-
Brush the remaining melted butter all over and in between the scrunched phyllo. Get the brush into the nooks and crannies of the phyllo, making sure that all the sheets are evenly coated throughout with the butter.
-
Transfer the dish to the oven, and bake until the phyllo turns deep golden brown in color; 20 to 25 minutes. The darker you go (without burning it of course) the crunchier the outside with be; so don’t be afraid to push it to its limit.
-
Take the dish out of the oven, and drizzle the surface with the sweetened condensed milk, followed by the whipping cream; the mixture will hiss and sizzle.
-
Transfer the dish back to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, just until the edges start bubble, the phyllo has soaked in most of the milk/cream mixture and is no longer soupy.
TO FINISH THE DISH:
-
Sprinkle the surface with a light dusting of ground cinnamon and nuts (if desired). Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then serve right away, hot or at warm room temperature.
-
While its best served warm, leftovers are still pretty good enjoyed at room temperature; just a different experience from its warm self. Do not reheat cooled portions in the microwave, as it causes the cream to separate. Store leftovers, covered tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge.
RECIPE NOTES
-
Make sure that the phyllo is fully thawed before using. Leave it in the refrigerator overnight or on the countertop for four to five hours. Do NOT microwave. Always keep the phyllo well covered until right before using.
-
Melted butter may be substituted with clarified butter or ghee. If using butter, be sure to give it an occasional stir with the brush as you're working with it, to evenly distribute the milk solids with the fat.
-
For a lighter option 😂🙈, you may use a combination of 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup milk (or half 'n half) instead of the 2 cups whipping cream called for in the recipe. We personally prefer the richness of all whipping cream.
-
I usually either omit the nuts or serve them on the side (I have some serious nuts-in-dessert-haters in my house), but I liked the way they looked in the pictures. I used pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, raisins and unsweetened shredded coconut. Amount is according to personal preference.
-
To make ahead: You have 2 options; 1) Place the scrunched phyllo in the buttered pan, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside at room temperature (if baking within a few hours) or up to a day in the fridge. Forty minutes before you plan to serve it, proceed with step 5. 2) Alternatively, you can make the recipe up until step 6, and set aside to cool. About 30 minutes before you plan to serve it, heat together the condensed milk and cream until hot and thoroughly combined. Pour over the hot milk mixture over the the baked phyllo, then bake until set and bubbling, about 10 to15 minutes.
Related Recipes
