If you have ever tasted pizza, you know the magic of dough and cheese baked together. Cheese pies have a long history in Eastern Mediterranean countries, where the warm, melted cheese encased in dough never fails to delight a crowd. Using ready-made dough makes this recipe simple, and I prefer to use country-style phyllo dough for its thickness and lower butter requirement.

Ingredients:

• 1 package country or thick #10 phyllo dough
• Filling:
  • 1 pound Muenster Cheese, grated
  • 1 pound Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
  • 1 stick butter, melted

• To pour over the cheese pie before baking:
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs

• Top Crust:
  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the frozen phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it to room temperature two hours before baking. Ensure the filling is prepared before opening the package.
3. Combine the filling ingredients.
4. Melt the butter.
5. Prepare your baking pan by brushing it with butter, covering all surfaces, including the sides.
6. Count the sheets of phyllo dough and decide how many you want to use based on the desired thickness.
7. Gently lay the first sheet, brush it with butter, and repeat until you have used half of the phyllo sheets.
8. Add the cheese mixture, spreading it evenly. Continue layering and buttering the remaining phyllo layers.
9. Cut the pie into desired squares evenly.
10. Pour the egg/milk mixture over the pie evenly.
11. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the egg/milk mixture.
12. Bake until golden brown.
13. Serve hot while crispy.