Rice pilaf with ground meat and feta cheese

This recipe can be cooked from scratch but it is ideal for when leftover rice pilaf or ground meat are available in the fridge so to save you some time in the kitchen. Greek cuisine always was fond of cooking with cheeses and often in the most unusual combinations. Recipes cooked in the pot, in the fryin pan or in the oven always get more exciting when cheese is involved. Cheese gives a new identity to numerous recipes and this makes it one of our most favoured ingredients

Adapted from a recipe of Makis Georgiadis,

from "BHMAgourmet" magazine of "TO BHMA" newspaper

Ingredients (for 4 people):
150gr. of feta cheese, crumbled
500gr of ground beef, passed only once through the meat grinder
8 tbsp of olive oil
4 Spring onions, finely chopped (I used1 large yellow onion)
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional -my addition)
1 tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional -my addition)
50ml white dry wine
1 tin of tomatoes concasse
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 tsp of sugar (optional -my addition)
1 bay leaf
3-4 whole allspice berries
salt
pepper
2 tea-cups of long grain rice
2 water-glasses full of hot water

Method:
In a deep pot warm the oil in medium-high heat and saute the onions and the garlic (if used) for about 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula. Add the meat and saute for 5 minutes stirring frequently and breaking the meat into bits with the spatula.

Pour over with the wine and when the alcohol is evaporated add in the pot the tinned tomatoes with their juices, the tomato paste, the sugar (if used), the bay leaf, the allspice, season with salt and pepper and stir well.

Turn the heat to medium-low, semi-cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rice and the hot water and continue cooking until the rice is tender, the liquids absorbed and a nice sauce is left in the pot.

Switch off the heat (keeping the pot on the hob), add the parsley (if used) and the feta and gently stir. Leave the pot on for another 5 minutes and then serve the food.