Phyllo Pie With Greens Recipes

GREEK-STYLE DINNER PIE WITH LEFTOVER GREENS

Steps:

• In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• If using raw greens, add, stirring until wilted, 2 to 4 minutes depending on which greens are used. If using cooked greens, add, stirring just until heated. Add parsley and dill, and season with salt and pepper to taste
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 10-inch tart or pie pan with oil. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add the feta and the greens mixture, and stir to combine.
• Spread a sheet of phyllo across the pan, so that the edges of it drape evenly over the pan. Gently fit the center of it into the base of the pan. Quickly and lightly, brush the phyllo with butter. Repeat with seven more sheets of phyllo, stacking them one on top of the other so that they form an asterisk pattern.
• Fill with the greens mixture, and fold the draped edges over to enclose the filling. Top with the remaining four sheets of phyllo, buttering each one, and again stacking in an asterisk pattern. Fold the edges under so that the dough extends about an inch beyond the rim of the pan, and then tuck the dough slightly into the pan, while rolling and twisting the edge under to shape a crust. Using a sharp knife, make several slashes through the top of the pie into the filling to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake the pie until the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. For a crispy crust, this is best served the same day baked.

VEGETABLE FILO PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil.
• Place vegetables in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 2 to 6 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, feta cheese and melted butter. Stir in salt, pepper, dill and onion powder. Fold steamed vegetables into egg mixture.
• Lay 4 sheets phyllo dough in the prepared dish and brush with olive oil. Lay 4 more sheets of dough in the dish, so that the edges overlap in the pan but most of the dough extends beyond the sides of the dish.
• Spoon vegetable mixture into dish and fold dough across the top. Brush with olive oil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

SPANAKOPITA (GREEK GREENS PIE )

Steps:

• Cook spinach til tender; drain, lightly squeeze out excess water and place in med bowl. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice and rind to spinach; mix well. Set aside.
• Saute onions with spices in 2 tbsp olive oil until onions are transparent. Stir in rice, water and raisins; heat through. Set aside.
• In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly with pepper. Add feta cheese and mix well. Set aside.
• In a 9" oiled deep pie pan, lay one sheet of phyllo on the bottom of the pan and brush entire surface with melted butter. Top with 7 more sheets, one by one, brushing each and rotating each sheet 20 degrees. There will be over-hang.
• Over that, carefully layer the onion mixture, then the spinach, then the cheese.
• Cover with a top 'crust' of phyllo by repeating same procedure as step 4: Eight sheets, each brushed with butter and rotated.
• Roll-up the overhanging dough to form a seal. Brush top with melted butter.
• Bake 350 degrees, for 1/2 hour. Lay a piece of foil over top and continue to bake for another 1/2 hour or until done.
• Allow to cool to room temperature before eating.

GREENS IN PHYLLO

Steps:

• Trim the stems and coarse veins off the greens. Rinse the leaves well and spin dry. Chop them finely and set aside with the garlic.
• Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, shaking occasionally, about five to seven minutes. Cool and chop coarsely. Set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and bell pepper until soft, about five minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the greens, garlic, wine, rosemary and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until the greens are limp and bright green, about five to seven minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and cool.
• Stir in the Gruyere, Parmesan and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Beat the egg lightly and stir it in. Blend well.
• Butter a large sheet of wax paper. Unwrap the phyllo and remove one sheet, keeping the rest covered with a damp dish towel. Lay the sheet over the buttered paper. Brush thickly with more butter. Top with a second sheet and butter again. With a sharp knife, cut the sheets crosswise into eight strips.
• Place about a teaspoon of the greens mixture at the bottom of each strip. Fold the strips up flag style to make triangular packets. Place on a buttered baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling. (Packets can be made to this point and refrigerated until ready to bake.)
• When ready to bake, brush the packets with melted butter. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are crisp and golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.