Rustic Greek Pie Recipes

Steps:

• For the filling:
• Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meat, brown and crumble. Remove the meat and drain off the fat. Melt the butter in the same pot and add the zest, oregano, garlic, onions and some salt and pepper. Cook to tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Then add the fresh herbs, stir. Add the flour, stir a minute or so and then whisk in the stock. Cook to thicken a little. Add the meat back in along with the lemon juice and spinach. Combine. Turn off the heat, cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat until hot. Stir in the feta crumbles just before serving.
• For the puff pastry topper:
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Flour a work surface and lightly roll out the puff pastry. Cut the size and shape of 1 large casserole or up to 6 individual bowls or large ramekins, using sharp paring knife. Place the dough on a nonstick baking sheet and wash with egg. Bake until evenly puffed and deep golden brown in color.
• Serve the hot filling in a casserole dish or individual bowls topped with the pastry.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• Stir together the prepared fruit, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and spices and/or seasonings in a large bowl until combined.
• On a well-floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large circle, about 12 to 14 inches. Make sure the rolled dough is chilled. Spoon the fruit mixture onto the center of the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Fold the edges of the dough over the fruit, pleating the dough, then dot the fruit filling with the butter pieces. Lightly brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar.
• Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Cover the crust with foil if the crust browns too quickly. Cool.
• Serve the warm galette with ice cream.
• Cook's Note: The same recipe can be made in individual serving sizes.
• To make pie dough:
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour and the salt; cut or work the butter into the flour with your fingers or a pastry blender until you have large pea sized chunks scattered throughout. Alternatively, pulse the dough in a food processor, or mix in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on low speed.
• Add the ice water slowly while stirring with a fork, or in the food processor or mixer, until just combined. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Divide the dough into 2 disks, flatten and refrigerate each for at least 15 minutes.
• Roll out one chilled pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Reserve the second pie dough disc for another use. Transfer dough to pie plate, pressing the dough lightly into the plate; trim the edges. Dock the dough with the prongs of a fork evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. Line the docked dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
• Bake the pie crust until the edges are brown and golden, about 15 minutes Remove from the oven and remove the weights. Return crust to the oven to finish baking for another 5 minutes.
• Rustic Pie/Galette Variations:
• Almond Apricot: Season the sliced apricots with almond paste or extract.
• Spiced-Apple Pear: Season the sliced apples and pears with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar.
• All-Berry: Fill the baked crust with pastry cream and top with sweetened berries.
• Caramelized Onion and Walnut: Caramelize 4 Spanish onions; let cool. Top the dough with grated Gruyere cheese and spread the onions and toasted walnuts over the cheese.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to moderately hot 200oC (400oF).
• Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach.
• Place the pastry sheet on a baking tray and spread the spinach in the middle, leaving a 3cm (1 1/4 inch) border.
• Sprinkle the garlic over the spinach and pile the haloumi and feta on top.
• Sprinkle with oregano and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cut a short slit into each corner of the pastry sheet, then tuck each side of the pastry over to form a border around the filling.
• Lightly beat the eggs with the cream and carefully pour the egg mixture over the spinach filling.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is set.
• Cut into four portions and serve with lemon wedges and a green salad.
• Note: If haloumi cheese is not available use all feta instead.

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.