Hortopita: Greek Greens Pie
Greeks love pies and the Greek cuisine features many amazingly delicious savory pies. One of the most popular is the pie of Greek greens, also known as hortopita.
This Greek greens pie recipe showcases the vibrant flavors of seasonal greens, wrapped in a flaky and tender dough, resulting in a pie that is as visually appealing as it is delicious.
Hortopita is the perfect dish for any occasion, from family dinner to special celebration. It is a testament to the rich culinary tradition of Greece, highlighting the fresh, vibrant flavors of seasonal greens. Enjoy this dish with loved ones, and celebrate the joy of sharing food and culture.
Hortopita is vegan and a great choice for fasting days. Enjoy this traditional hortopita recipe by Greek celebrity chef Giorgos Tsoulis.
Greek Greens Pie (Hortopita)
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 110 ml water
- 7 ml white wine vinegar
- 5 g salt
- extra virgin olive oil for brush over the dough
For the filling:
- 2 leeks cut into thin slices
- 1 kg spinach washed and cleaned
- 1 bunch chard coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch chervil finely chopped
- 1 bunch dill finely chopped
- 1 bunch kafkalithres Mediterranean hartwort, finely chopped
- ½ bunch spearmint finely chopped
- 50 g fine semolina
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
For the filling:
- Place a large pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add a little olive oil and sauté the leeks until soft.
- Add the spinach and chard. Sauté until all the moisture evaporates, turn into a colander and set aside to cool.
- Once cool, put the greens in a large bowl and add the chervil, dill, kafkalithres, spearmint and semolina. Mix well with a spoon and set aside.
For the dough:
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C (360 °F).
- Mix the flour, water, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Knead until you achieve a smooth dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
- Once the dough has rested, cut it in half and sprinkle your worktop with corn flour. Take one piece of dough and begin to roll it out slightly with your hands.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out till it is a few millimeters thick and 32cm (12 inches) wide. Turn the dough slightly each time you roll it out. Roll it out by first rolling the dough up on the rolling pin, then rolling it out. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
- Place one sheet of dough in a 30cm (12 inch) round baking pan, greased with olive oil. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the top and cover with the second sheet of dough.
- Press the edges together well, brush with olive oil and bake for 1 hour, until the pie is golden.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Notes
Related: Greek Cheese & Spinach Pie (Spanakotiropita)
Related: Tiropita – Traditional Greek Cheese Pie
