006Wild greens pie

Method

Traditional mainland mixed-greens pie. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting so the juices settle.

You will need

• slender rolling pin (verga)
• 38 x 30 cm rectangular baking tray
• large mixing bowls
• clean kitchen towel
• pastry brush

1. Combine 500 g plain flour with 1 tsp salt, 30 ml olive oil, and 240 ml lukewarm water in a bowl; knead vigorously for 8 minutes into a smooth dough, then rest covered under a bowl for 30 minutes. 38 min Ready when: dough is pliable and elastic
2. Place 1 kg chopped mixed greens into a large basin, sprinkle with 1 tsp coarse salt, and massage firmly with your hands for 3 minutes to break down cellular structure and draw out water. 3 min Ready when: greens reduce to less than half their initial volume
3. Squeeze handfuls of the salted greens very hard over the sink to expel as much bitter liquid as possible, transferring the dry pressed greens to a clean bowl. 5 min Ready when: greens feel dense and dry to the touch
4. Add 6 sliced spring onions, chopped dill, chopped mint, 40 g semolina or rice, 250 g crumbled feta, 2 beaten eggs, 2 tbsp olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper to the greens; toss thoroughly. 3 min Ready when: filling evenly blended without excess puddle of liquid
5. Preheat a conventional oven to 180°C (350°F) and oil a 38 x 30 cm baking pan. 5 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: oven reaches steady temperature
6. Divide the dough into 6 portions; roll out 3 balls thinly with a rolling pin, laying each sheet into the prepared pan and brushing each generously with olive oil. 15 min Ready when: three pastry sheets cover the base and sides evenly
7. Spread the greens mixture across the pastry base, pressing it down lightly into an even layer. 2 min Ready when: greens layer is flat and uniform
8. Roll out the remaining 3 dough portions into thin sheets, layering them over the greens while brushing each with olive oil; trim and roll the outer edges into a firm twisted border. 12 min Ready when: top completely enclosed with neat crimped rim
9. Score the top sheets of pastry lightly into squares with the tip of a sharp knife, brush with remaining olive oil, and flick a few drops of water over the surface. 2 min Ready when: top scored without piercing the bottom crust
10. Bake on the bottom shelf of the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 55 to 60 minutes until the top is deep amber and the underside is fully baked and crisp. 60 min · 180°C / 350°F Ready when: pie is rigid, deeply golden, and fragrant

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Make ahead and storing

Can be baked a day ahead; it is best enjoyed warm or at room temperature.

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Substitutions

• pure spinach with extra herbs for mixed greens (spinach, Swiss chard, sorrel, nettle, or dandelion). When wild greens are out of season, pair cultivated spinach with chard and lots of wild fennel or dill.
• omit cheese and egg for feta. For a strict Lenten or vegan hortopita, omit feta and eggs and increase olive oil slightly.

Common mistakes

• Failing to salt and squeeze the raw greens. Raw greens contain high water content; if not squeezed, the released liquid will turn the bottom crust into wet mush.
• Sautéing the greens beforehand. Traditional Greek country pies use raw, salted and squeezed greens to preserve fresh vegetal bite and herb aromas.

Regional variants

• Cretan hortopita: often includes fennel fronds (marathos) and wild leeks, with or without local xinomyzithra.
• Zagoriski hortopita: characterised by very thin hand-rolled phyllo sheets brushed generously with mountain olive oil.

About the dish

Hortopita is the quintessential pie of rural Greece, reflecting the ancient practice of foraging wild edible greens (horta) across hillsides and olive groves. While spanakopita uses cultivated spinach, an authentic hortopita balances sweet, bitter, and aromatic greens such as sow thistle, chard, nettles, sorrel, and mountain dandelions. In Epirus and Crete, it is a staple of everyday domestic cooking, made either nistisimi without cheese or enriched with barrel-aged feta and eggs outside fasting periods.

Found in Epirus, Crete, Thessaly, Peloponnese. Cooked for everyday, lent, sunday lunch.

Cousins elsewhere

• Byrek me spinaq (Albanian). Layered pie made with wild or cultivated greens and brined white cheese common throughout the southern Balkans.
• Torta pasqualina (Italian). Ligurian layered pastry containing chard, wild herbs, and fresh cheese.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

545 kcal · protein 17.7 g · fat 23 g (saturated 7.3 g) · carbohydrate 68 g (sugars 7.3 g) · fibre 6.5 g · sodium 459 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Rooted in the northern Epirote technique of raw-massaged wild greens encased in handmade rustic filo..

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