Rocket, leek and caper pieServes 6 - 8
Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) rocket, finely chopped
- 300g (10½ oz) leeks, trimmed, washed well and finely chopped
- 2 bunches spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 bunch chervil, finely chopped
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 400g (14 oz) feta cheese
- 40g (1½ oz) Santorinian capers
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 150g (5½ oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
- 1x 250g (9oz) pack of filo pastry
- 150 ml milk
To Serve
Method
- Mix all the greens in a large bowl.
- Line a large container with a dry kitchen cloth and spread a third of the mixed greens out in it. Arrange further kitchen cloths in further containers and do the same until you have used all the greens. Leave them somewhere cool for an hour: the idea is to get rid of as much water as possible.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.
- Break the feta into crumbs, then mix it with the capers and some coarsely ground pepper. Add the greens, then fold in the eggs.
- Butter the bottom of a spring-released cake tin (23cm/9in in diameter, 7cm/2¼in deep) and line with a generous half of the filo, brushing each sheet heavily with melted butter. Substantial corners of the filo sheets should hang over the tin's edge, as you will need to fold them over to make a top to the pie.
- Spread in half the greens mixture and top with another two intermediate layers of buttered filo. Spread in the remaining greens mix. Fold the overlapping filo over the surface of the filling, then top with the remaining pastry, buttering each sheet well. You can arrange it decoratively - crumpled, say - on the top. Butter the folded filo and spatter the remaining butter and the milk over the surface. Doing this will make the filo rise in bubbles while the pie is cooking.
Recipes taken from The Real Greek at Home (ISBN: 1-840-00851-2) published by Mitchell Beazley, priced at £20.00. To order a copy please contact Littlehampton Book Services on 01903 828 500.