Bechamel tiropita, Greek feta cheese pie

Cook the butter and the flour together until the butter melts and the flour is toasted and smells nutty.

Add the cold whole milk and whisk quickly so it stays smooth.

Season lightly with salt and black pepper, and nutmeg if you want it.

Cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, then take it off the heat.

Lightly beat the egg, temper it with some of the hot cream, then stir the egg mixture into the sauce.

Crumble the block feta into the sauce; the filling is ready.

Variation: add stringy cheese such as gruyere, kasseri or mozzarella, or dried thyme, a pinch of dried oregano or mint.

Melt a stick of butter and grease the nine inch pie pan with the wrapper.

Line the pan with filo one sheet at a time, drizzling butter between each layer; keep the bottom crust thicker and save about three sheets for the top. The last bottom sheet gets no butter.

Pour in the bechamel cheese filling, lay the remaining sheets on top one at a time with butter between, gather the edges and tuck them down the sides of the pan.

Brush and drizzle the leftover butter over the top, concentrating on the edges, and sprinkle over black sesame seeds.

Score the top into eight pieces, cutting only the top layers, so it cuts cleanly later.

Set it on a baking tray and bake on the centre rack at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden all around -- hers took almost an hour.

Let it sit at least 30 minutes so the bechamel filling sets; longer is better. Serve at room temperature.

Variation: assemble and freeze wrapped in plastic and foil with holes poked in it, then bake 30 to 40 minutes covered at 350F, uncover and bake until golden and bubbly.