Name: Hortopita
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 1¼ pounds (567 grams) kale , Swiss chard and/or dandelion greens, stemmed; ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt , divided, plus salt for blanching vegetables; 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided; 2 leeks , white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly; 3 garlic cloves , minced; ¼ teaspoon pepper , divided; 6 ounces (170 grams) feta cheese , crumbled (1½ cups); 2 large eggs , lightly beaten; ⅓ cup minced fresh dill; 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint; 14 sheets (14 by 9-inch) phyllo , thawed, room temperature; 2 teaspoons sesame seeds and/or nigella seeds (optional)

Hortopita

By Camila Chaparro

Published on January 27, 2022

Time

1¾ hours, plus 15 minutes cooling

Yield

Serves 4 to 6 (Makes two 10-inch pies)

Ingredients

1¼ pounds (567 grams) kale, Swiss chard and/or dandelion greens, stemmed¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for blanching vegetables7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly3 garlic cloves, minced¼ teaspoon pepper, divided6 ounces (170 grams) feta cheese, crumbled (1½ cups)2 large eggs, lightly beaten⅓ cup minced fresh dill 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint 14 sheets (14 by 9-inch) phyllo, thawed, room temperature2 teaspoons sesame seeds and/or nigella seeds (optional)

Before You Begin

Hortopita is often made as a square or rectangular pie, similar to our Weeknight Spanakopita, but this version resembles a strudel, making for a more elegant presentation. Watch this video for more information on working with phyllo dough.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add greens and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until tender and bright green, 2 minutes for Swiss chard and dandelion greens and 4 minutes for kale. Drain in colander and run under cold water until cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. Using hands, firmly press cooled greens to release as much liquid as possible. Chop greens fine then transfer to large bowl and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add leeks, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and cook until leeks are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer leeks to bowl with chopped greens and set aside to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in feta, eggs, dill, mint, remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Place 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on counter with long side parallel to edge of counter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on parchment with long side parallel to edge of counter. Lightly brush sheet with oil. Repeat with 6 more phyllo sheets and oil, stacking sheets as you go.

Arrange half of greens mixture in 2½ by 10-inch rectangle 2 inches from bottom edge of phyllo and about 2 inches from each side. Using parchment, fold sides of phyllo over filling, then fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling. Brush folded portions of phyllo with oil. Fold top edge snugly over filling, making sure top and bottom edges overlap securely by about 1 inch. (If they do not overlap, unfold, rearrange filling into slightly narrower strip, and refold.) Press firmly to seal. Using thin metal spatula, carefully transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat process with remaining phyllo, oil, and remaining greens mixture, evenly spacing hortopita on prepared sheet. Lightly brush top and sides with oil. Using sharp knife, make 6 evenly spaced ¼-inch-deep slashes, 2 inches long, on top of each hortopita. Sprinkle with sesame and/or nigella seeds, if using.

Bake hortopita until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.