Hortopita
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(or How Greeks love their Greens)
Hortopita means “greens pie” in Greek. If you searched this dish on-line, you would find many different recipes, some with the greens encased in pastry and some not. This version comes from Myra Kornfeld’s book “The Healthy Hedonist Holidays” and does not use a pastry crust. While Myra likes chicory and romaine lettuce, I have adapted the recipe to incorporate the greens from this week’s Sweetwater share. The greens, herbs, and onions are combined with feta cheese, cornmeal and eggs that bake into a light, crustless pie with a cakelike texture. The Hortopita can be made in advance. It also makes a delicious brunch dish.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches greens (2-3 pounds) with hard stems removed, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 head romaine or 1 small napa cabbage, shredded
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 cups well-wasked leeks, white part only, chopped
- ½ cup thinly chopped scallions
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup crumbles feta cheese
- 1 cup grated cheese (sheep’s milk, Gruyere or aged goat cheese)
- ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 T butter or olive oil for coating 8”X8” baking pan
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Wash the greens. Put them in a large pot of salted, boiling water to wilt and blanch them, about 5 minutes. Add Romaine or cabbage and continue for another minute or two. Remove and place in strainer and squeeze to remove excess water. Place on cutting board and chop into small pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
In the pot (now dry) pour in the oil and leeks and sauté over medium heat until the leeks are soft, about 5 minutes. Add scallions and cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add to the greens along with the parsley. Stir in the cheeses, eggs, olives, cornmeal, baking powder and a sprinkling of black pepper. Stir, combining thoroughly.
Place 1 tablespoon of butter in baking dish and place in hot oven for 5 minutes. Remove and spread the butter around the dish. Pour in the greens mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 30 min. Dot remaining butter over the top and continue baking another 30 min. Remove and cool 10 min. Cut into squares and serve.
