102Fennel pie of Tinos

Method

Tinian pan-fried flat pies. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut in half.

You will need

• Rolling pin
• Heavy frying pan or cast-iron skillet
• Mixing bowls

1. Combine the plain flour and half the sea salt in a bowl, make a well, and pour in 30 ml of olive oil, the lemon juice, and water. 3 min Ready when: flour absorbs the liquids into a rough mass
2. Knead on a lightly floured board for 6 minutes until smooth and elastic, then cover with a clean cloth and rest for 20 minutes. 26 min Ready when: dough is pliable and springs back gently when pressed
3. In a separate mixing bowl, toss the finely chopped fennel fronds with the spring onions, remaining half-teaspoon of salt, cracked black pepper, and 15 ml of olive oil, rubbing lightly with your hands to soften. 4 min Ready when: greens reduce in bulk and release a fragrant anise aroma
4. Divide the rested dough into 4 equal balls, then roll each out on a floured surface into a thin circle about 22 cm in diameter. 5 min Ready when: dough discs are evenly thin and translucent
5. Spread a quarter of the fennel mixture over one half of each circle, fold the pastry over to form a semicircle, and crimp the edges tightly with a fork or by pinching. 4 min Ready when: edges are completely sealed with no escaping greens
6. Heat a heavy frying pan or skillet over medium heat and brush with a thin sheen of the remaining olive oil. 2 min Ready when: pan is hot and oil shimmers lightly
7. Cook the pies in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until crisp, blistered, and mottled with dark golden spots, brushing the pan lightly between each. 10 min Ready when: crust is crisp and blistered with golden patches

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Make ahead and storing

The dough can be rested overnight in the fridge; fill and cook immediately before serving.

Fridge 2 days; re-crisp in a dry skillet rather than the microwave.

Substitutions

• dill combined with finely sliced fennel bulb for Fresh wild fennel greens (fronds and tender tops). Recreates the herbaceous anise profile when wild green tops are unavailable.

Common mistakes

• Leaving excess moisture on the fennel fronds. Wet herbs steam inside the dough, turning the crust soggy rather than crisp and flaky.
• Rolling the dough too thick. Thick dough remains raw and doughy in the skillet before the outside blisters properly.

Regional variants

• Oven-baked tray version: layered in a baking dish with home-rolled pastry sheets and baked until golden.
• Cheesy variation: spiked with a crumbling of sharp Tinian graviera or dry mizithra.

About the dish

Wild fennel (marathos) carpets the dry terraces of Tinos and Syros every spring, perfuming the island air. Marathopita is the classic Aegean showcase for these tender green plumes. Unlike mainland tray pies made with multiple layers of filo, the island marathopita is typically shaped into flat, round pockets rolled very thin and fried or dry-griddled in a skillet with just a film of olive oil. Traditionally naturally vegan and eaten extensively during Great Lent, it relies entirely on the aniseed sweetness of fresh greens and spring onions.

Found in Cyclades. Cooked for everyday, spring, lent.

Cousins elsewhere

• Marathopita Kritis (Cretan). Crete makes a very similar thin, griddled disc of dough filled purely with wild fennel fronds.
• Fatayer sabanekh (Levantine). Both utilise unleavened dough envelopes encasing seasoned green leafy spring fillings.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

424 kcal · protein 8.9 g · fat 14.7 g (saturated 2.1 g) · carbohydrate 64.1 g (sugars 3.6 g) · fibre 4.8 g · sodium 626 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. Cycladic island foraging traditions, particularly from Tinos and Syros where spring herbs are baked or griddled simply..