Friday, 29 July 2011

Courgette Pie, Kolokythopita (Κολοκυθόπιτα)

I got the urge for another pie last night and as I had some spare courgettes, it seemed very fitting. It is another very popular pie in Greece. Recipe below for a tray 12”x14” (32cm x 36cm)





Ingredients:

1,5Kg courgettes or marrow
400gr feta cheese, crumbled (the cheapest!)
2 packs of filo pastry (600gr)
5 eggs
1 onion, chopped
2 ladles of olive oil
3 spoonfuls of semolina
Pepper

Preparation:

You need to start by preparing the courgettes. They need to be peeled, chopped and then squeezed a handful at a time so all the juices come out.
Then add the onion in a pot with half a cup of water and let it boil until all the water dissolves and the onion goes soft. You do this so the flavour of the onion is not too strong. Once the water is gone, add the olive oil and let it come to the boil. Then add the courgette and stir. Take the pot off the heat at this point. Add the crumbled feta cheese, the semolina and 4 eggs which you have previously whisked. Finally add 1 teaspoon of pepper and your mix is ready.
Brush your tray with oil and then start laying your filo. You need 4 layers at the bottom and ensure you brush them with oil in between each layer and that they overhang from the edge of the tray. Then add your mix ensuring it has the same level on all sides of the tray. On top add another 3 layers of filo. Before the final one, turn inside all the pastry that is overhanging off the tray and then add your final one, so it is more visually pleasing! Whisk one egg and pour it on the top, ensuring that it goes all over the pie. Mark it with a knife at the top layers of filo depending on how you want your pieces to come out. You do this so the filo does not crumble when you try to cut it later on.
You need to have preheated your oven at 220 degrees and it needs to bake for one hour. 35 minutes into the baking turn function so all the heat is at the bottom of the oven or if you do not have that type of oven, cover the pie with foil, so it doesn’t burn on the top, but it keeps cooking at the bottom.
Let the pie rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Lovely. Enjoy!

4 comments:

  1. Sounds delicious, Mikki gave me some courgettes from the allotment so I'll try this at the weekend and let you know how I get on!

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  2. Lovely!! Good luck!!! Make sure you squeeze the juices out of the courgettes well cause otherwise it comes out a bit moist. Let me know how you get on!

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  3. I made this and it was a great success, I was able to squeeze the courgettes dry in a potato ricer which worked well. I was expecting it to be a lot saltier after having the spinach pie but this was a nice alternative. Been using all the leftover feta with calamari and olives all week too its a hard life ;o) see you soon and thanks for the recipies

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  4. hehehe great news!! Never thought of the potato ricer, I will try that next time!
    A hard life indeed! :)
    Take care and glad you enjoyed it!! xx

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