Recipe: Filo pizza

This tasty little pizza is the perfect starter to any meal, delicious with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or buttery Chardonnay.

Using filo pasty instead of a dough base makes it lighter, easy and fast to put together.

• 1 box filo pastry
• Olive oil for brushing
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup grated mozzarella or fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
• 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• 12 pitted black kalamata olives cut in half
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 13” x 10” lipped cookie sheet

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Unroll the filo and cut in half widthwise.
3. Lightly oil the bottom of your cookie sheet. Working quickly so the filo does not dry out, place one cut half on the bottom. Lightly brush with oil and then a sprinkle of the grated parmesan. Top with another sheet of filo, brush with oil and sprinkling of parmesan and repeat until you have a base of 6 sheets. Roll the remaining filo up and wrap tightly with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
4. Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese. Then the sliced onions and attractively lay the tomatoes in rows on top of the onions, then dot with the olive halves. Use the remaining parmesan cheese over the top and then finish with the thyme leaves.
5. Place in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
6. Carefully transfer to a cutting board, cut into squares and serve hot.

Serves four to six people.

Note: If the onions are a bit strong, immerse them in a bowl of cold water with 2 tablespoons of vinegar added and soak for about 15 minutes. This process will remove the sting of pungent onions. Drain and pat dry.