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Hortopita
Wild greens and herb pie without cheese (χορτόπιτα)
In the villages of Crete and the mountains of Epirus, hortopita is what cooks make from whatever greens are growing on the hillsides: wild fennel, sorrel, poppy leaves, nettles and chard. Many families bake it during Lent, when cheese and eggs are put aside, so the filling relies on olive oil, leeks and a big handful of herbs for flavour. It is earthy, a little bitter and very fresh. This version uses easy-to-buy chard, spinach, fennel fronds and leeks, with a spoonful of rice to soak up the juices. Serve warm or cold with olives and a glass of something cold. Most shop fillo is made without butter or egg, but check the label to keep it vegan. Chef's tip: salt the chopped greens and leave them for 20 minutes before squeezing; skipping this is the most common mistake, and it makes hortopita watery.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the filling
For the pastry
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅛ lb Swiss chard and 14 oz spinach with 1 ½ tsp salt in a large bowl, rubbing them with your hands. Leave for 20 minutes; they will shrink by half and release dark green liquid.
20 minStep 2: Squeeze the greens by the handful as hard as you can and put them in a dry bowl. Discard the liquid.
Step 3: Warm ¼ cup olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook 2 leeks and 6 spring onions for 8 minutes, until silky and sweet. Stir them into the greens with 1 oz fennel fronds, ½ oz mint, ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsley, 3 tbsp short-grain rice, 1 lemon and ½ tsp black pepper.
8 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Oil a 25 × 35 cm tin with some of ½ cup olive oil. Lay in half the 16 oz fillo pastry, brushing every sheet with oil and leaving the edges overhanging.
Step 5: Spread in the filling, fold the edges over, and cover with the remaining sheets, oiling each one. Score the top into pieces and brush with oil.
Step 6: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is a deep golden colour and the edges sound crisp when tapped. The rice will have swollen and absorbed the juices.
45 minStep 7: Rest for 20 minutes before cutting. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge and is just as good cold the next day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hortopita take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of leeks?
- 1 onion per leek.
- What can I use instead of spring onions?
- Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.
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