Hortopita

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200C conventional or 180C fan. If using very wet greens, wash them first and spin or pat them very dry so the filling will not make the filo soggy. Finely chop the mixed wild greens if the leaves are large.

   400 g mixed wild greens or a mix of spinach, chard and dandelion greens, trimmed
2. 2

   Heat a wide pan over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onion and spring onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened but not browned; gentle cooking keeps the filling sweet rather than sharp.

   20 ml extra-virgin olive oil120 g onion, finely diced60 g spring onions, finely sliced
3. 3

   Add the greens and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until wilted and any excess moisture has evaporated. Season with the salt and black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes; the filling should be warm, not hot, before the egg goes in.

   400 g mixed wild greens or a mix of spinach, chard and dandelion greens, trimmed2 g fine salt1 g black pepper
4. 4

   Stir the dill, parsley, crumbled feta and egg into the cooled greens mixture. Mix just until combined; keeping some larger feta pieces gives pleasant salty pockets in the finished pie.

   15 g fresh dill, finely chopped10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped120 g feta, crumbled1 large (50 g without shell) egg
5. 5

   Mix the olive oil and water for brushing. Lightly oil a small baking tray or ovenproof dish of about 20 x 15 cm. Lay in 3 filo sheets one at a time, brushing each lightly with the oil mixture and letting the edges overhang. Keep the unused filo covered with a barely damp towel so it does not dry out and crack.

   6 sheets (about 180 g) filo pastry35 ml extra-virgin olive oil15 ml water
6. 6

   Spread the greens filling evenly over the filo base, pressing lightly into the corners for an even layer.

7. 7

   Cover with the remaining 3 filo sheets, brushing each lightly with the oil mixture. Fold or tuck in the overhanging pastry to seal the pie. Brush the top well, score the top layers into 4 portions without cutting all the way through, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

   6 sheets (about 180 g) filo pastry35 ml extra-virgin olive oil15 ml water5 g sesame seeds
8. 8

   Bake for 30-35 minutes until deeply golden, crisp and audibly flaky at the edges. If the top colors too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the last 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Rest the pie for 10 minutes before cutting through the scored portions and serving. Resting helps the filling set and keeps the layers crisp.

Origin & History

Hortopita is a traditional Greek pie made with horta, the broad family of edible greens long gathered from fields and hillsides. Variations exist across Greece, especially in rural regions where cooks use whatever seasonal greens are available, often pairing them with herbs, feta and crisp filo pastry.