Χορτόπιτα (mixed greens filo pie)
Ingredients
- 700 g chard stems 450 g & leaves 250 g
- 250 g spinach
- 530 g dough dad's recipe (I long fermented the dough, but it was hard to roll out and had to add loads of extra flour, at least 120g T65, to stop it from breaking
- 300 g homemade ricotta, plus a bit of the brine
- 2 T EVOO
- 6 scallions white and green parts, sliced pieces
- 290 g dark green parts of leek
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- ¼-½ preserved lemon
- bunch of parsley chervil or any fresh green herb (I used chives and mint, dill is a must!)
- lemon 1 zested. Use the juice too, if not using preserved lemon
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼-½ tsp pepper
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash the chard, then finely slice the stems and roughly chop the leaves.
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat, add the leek, onion, with a big pinch of salt and cook until the leek and onion are softened and fragrant – about 10 mins. Add the chard, cook for a few mins until the leaves are wilted but not mushy.Add garlic, turmeric powder and preserved lemon and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add half the herbs, scallions, and a good squeeze of lemon juice (if using) and season. Allow to cool. If too watery, transfer in a colander in the sink to cool and drain excess moisture. Or can add 1-2 T of a thickener, like cornmeal or coconut flour.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl until a little frothy. Reserve 1 tsp of the egg and mix with 1 tsp milk to make an egg wash for the top of the pie.
- Add the other half of the fresh herbs (dill, basil, oregano, parsley, mint etc.), the lemon zest, and an optional 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper as needed and grate over some nutmeg (optional).
- Stir in the cooled greens mixture until well combined.
- Gently mix in the ricotta and feta (if using). Be careful not to over-mix to where the cheese dissolves.
- Preheat oven to 190℃ fan. Lightly grease a Ø28cm deep pie dish.
- Roll and lay one filo layer in the pan, allowing the edges to evenly hang over the pan's sides. Spray with a bit of olive oil and lay the second filo layer, also leaving the edges hang out of the pie dish.
- Fill the tin with the cheese and greens mixture and cover with the filo, brushing with oil between layers, following dad's technique as described in Cheese Pie recipe.
- Gently tuck the pastry hanging over the edges of the pan down into the sides of the dish.
- Brush the egg wash all over the top of the pie. Precut the pieces of the pie and sprinkle some black and blond sesame seeds (optional). Poke holes in the border so the thick parts of the filo bake through.
- Bake for 50-60 mins until golden and the filling is set. If needed, switch to bottom heated function for the last 5 minutes to ensure the bottom is well cooked. Allow to settle for at least 20 mins before removing from the tin. Cool completely, can store at room temperature for up to 2 days until ready to serve. Then keep in the fridge for up to another 2-3 days.
Notes
Based on this recipe and this recipe and this recipe
When using greens like swiss chard, dandelions, mustard greens because they are tougher, do the following:
Suppose you are using greens with long, strong stems such as swiss chard; rinse greens well and thinly slice the stems. Roughly chop the leaves. Sautee the stems first in a bit of olive oil till they slightly soften and release their liquid. Add the green parts later.
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