In Greek: χορτόπιτα, say: hor-TOH-pee-tah
Similar to the small, fried greens pies, this pan-sized version can be made with a mixture of greens or just one, wild or cultivated. Using packaged puff pastry (sfoliata in Greek) makes this an easy recipe to put together. The pie serves 8 as a snack or light meal, and also works as a side dish.
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of fresh spinach, washed, finely chopped
- 1 pound of fresh fennel (leaves and stems), washed, finely chopped
- 1/2 pound of green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 7 ounces of kopanisti cheese (or roquefort), crumbled
- 3 1/2 ounces of feta cheese, crumbled
- 7 ounces of bacon, finely chopped (or cooked and crumbled)
- 1 cup of trahana pasta (or acini pasta)
- sea salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 package (2 sheets, about 1 pound) of puff pastry, defrosted, at room temperature
- .
- milk for brushing the pie crust
Preparation:
Prepare the Filling
In a large pot, sauté the spinach, fennel, green onions, and dill in the oil, until the spinach wilts and the onions soften. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheeses, bacon, and pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Roll out a sheet of puff pastry to fit the bottom and sides of a medium-sized baking dish (ceramic or glass work best) and line the dish up to the top of the sides.
Add the filling and use a fork to level it out.
Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry to cover the top and lay over the filling. With oiled fingers, pinch the top and bottom layers together to seal the edges.
With a sharp knife, cut 3-4 slits in the crust (to allow steam to escape), brush the top lightly with milk, and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 1 hour.
Greens Pie is served lukewarm or at room temperature.
Yield: serves 8 as a snack or light main dish