Courgette pie – a childhood favourite
One of the true delights of life, is having a vegetable garden. It’s so rewarding planting seeds and watching them sprout through the earth. Watering them and seeing them grow as you care for them, until finally they start producing little flowers, which eventually turn into fruit and vegetables. At the moment we pretty much have courgettes coming out of our ears in the vegetable garden. My mother used to make courgette pie a lot when we were children, and over the years I’ve adapted the recipe.
In Greece pies are a staple in any household or bakery, as I’m sure anyone who has visited Greece would know. I love the varieties of homemade pastries, and the slight changes in ingredients as you travel from region to region. Some delicious Greek pies are potato pie, mushroom pie, spinach pie, feta, tomato and pepper pie and wild greens pie. No two homemade wild greens pies will ever be the same. Different types of wild greens are foraged throughout the year and combined with chard, spinach, leek or spring greens. I love adding leek to my courgette pie. It adds another depth of flavour as well as a little bit of sweetness.
Wholemeal is healthier
Although this pastry is usually made with white flour, I decided to make it wholemeal to be healthier. It actually works very well, and produces a nutty crispy pastry. The trick is to let the dough sit for long enough, so that it can soften. The dried breadcrumbs are also important as they soak up the liquid from the vegetables, which prevents soggy pastry. Alternatively, you can use white rice or couscous if you prefer. I don’t recommend using brown rice, as the pie doesn’t cook for long enough, and the rice will still be crunchy.
Courgette Pie with Leek, Feta and Sesame Seeds
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Ingredients
- PASTRY:
- 250g wholewheat flour*
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- FILLING:
- 500g courgettes
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 small-medium leeks, sliced in half lengthways and washed well
- 100g feta cheese
- 50g gruyere cheese
- 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped mint
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling on top
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 3 tbsp. dried breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A little olive oil to brush the tin
Instructions
PASTRY:
- Sieve the flour with the salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil and vinegar and rub it in with your fingertips.
- Gradually add 1/4-1/2 cup of water, slowly bringing the dough together. Add enough water to make a soft and pliable dough. Depending on the flour, you may need to add more or less water. Bring the dough together and knead for 2-3 minutes on a clean counter. Wrap it in some greaseproof paper and set the dough aside to rest.
FILLING:
- Top and tail the courgettes and grate them. Place them in a sieve over a bowl and sprinkle with a little salt. Let them stand for about 30-45 minutes.
- Place the olive oil in a heavy-based pan frying pan and and turn to a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are starting to soften.
- Thinly slice the leeks and add them to the softened onions. Cook until the onions and leeks are soft and are turning light golden. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl.
- Squeeze the grated courgettes with your hands to remove any excess liquid. Add them to the onion mixture.
- Add the feta, gruyere, flat leaf parsley, mint, sesame seeds, lemon zest and dried breadcrumbs.
- Taste the mixture and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. It’s important to taste it before you add salt, as the saltiness of the cheese can vary.
- Whisk one of the eggs in a small bowl. Stir it through the filling.
TO BAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Oil a round pie tin with a little olive oil.
- Divide the dough into two pieces, making one bigger for the base.
- Flour a clean surface and roll the base out to a few millimetres thick. Place in the base of the pie tin, leaving the extra hanging over the edges. Add the filling.
- Roll out the top pastry to a few millimetres thick and cut to the size of the tin. Place it on top of the filling.
- Trim the edges of the base pastry, so that there is about 1 cm extra.
- Whisk the other egg in a small bowl, and brush the top of the pie. Fold over the base pastry and pinch it with the top piece to make a neat border around the edge of the pie. Brush the edge with egg wash. Score the top of the pie into slices.
- Sprinkle the pie with sesame seeds, and place into the oven.
- Bake for about 40 minutes to 1 hour until the pastry is golden and cooked through.
- Remove and let it cool down before serving.
Notes
*This pastry can be made with white flour as well. I prefer to use wholewheat flour as it is much healthier. You can also substitute the homemade pastry with a few layers of phyllo pastry. Just brush them with a little olive oil between each layer.
