Prep. Time 20′ Cooking Time 30′  Yields 25

Ingredients

The Dough

400 g of flour (approx.)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoons of raki or ouzo
A few drops of lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup of lukewarm water
Extra flour (to roll out the dough)

The Filling

800 g peeled greens (spinach, lettuce, wild greens, etc.)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 dry onion, finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely chopped (with leaves)
1 bunch fennel or dill
Salt
Pepper

Instructions

The Dough

  1. In a bowl, add the flour and salt and mix.
  2. Make a well in the flour and add the oil, raki, lemon and water.
  3. Use a spoon to mix the ingredients until they are wet and the dough begins to form.
  4. When the dough gathers into a ball around the spoon, turn it out onto a floured counter.
  5. Using vigorous motions and flouring your hands whenever necessary, knead the dough for a few minutes until it is soft and pliable and doesn’t stick to your hands.
  6. Place the dough in a bowl and cover it for at least 30 minutes to rest.
  7. After the dough has rested, divide it into 4 pieces.
  8. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a thin sheet with a rolling pin.
  9. Use a knife to cut the dough into squares.
  10. Place 1 spoonful of filling in the center of each sheet.
  11. Close in an envelope shape, leaving the surface slightly open.
  12. After you are done with the pies, you can bake them, fry them or store them in the freezer.

The Filling

  1. Wash and drain the greens well.
  2. Cut them into small pieces.
  3. In a flat pan, heat the oil and sauté the dried onions for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add the greens and stir to wilt them for a few minutes.
  5. Add salt and pepper and add the spring onions and fennel.
  6. Put the stuffing in a colander and let it drain well.

For Fried Pies

  1. If you want to fry your pies, make sure you have them very tightly closed at the top or all the filling will spill out.
  2. Heat a frying pan with olive oil over medium-high heat and fry the pies in hot oil a few at a time on both sides until golden brown.
  3. Remove them to paper towels.

For Oven-baked Pies

  1. Lay out non-stick paper on a baking sheet, lay the pies in a row.
  2. Use a pastry brush to oil the surface.
  3. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds if you like.
  4. Bake them in the air at 180 °C on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Storing in the freezer

  1. Arrange them on trays and freeze them in the freezer to firm up.
  2. Then, store them in a food bag, tightly sealed. Frozen as is, put them in the oven or hot pan.

Secrets for the Best Results

  • The longer you rest the dough after kneading, the nicer and more elastic the dough becomes and the easier it is to roll out into a thin sheet.
  • Flour your counter whenever you feel the dough is slightly sticky.
  • The filling needs to be very dry to make the pies crispy.
  • The veggie pies in the pan are sensational and result in the most crispy pies.

Enjoy!

Source: Argiro Barbarigou

Looking for more breakfast ideas?

Check out our ‘Brilliant Breakfast’ Series.