Savory Herb And Cheese Pie Recipes

SAVORY CHEESE AND SPINACH PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, and set out a 9X13 inch baking dish.
• Add the ghee to the sauté pan. Once melted, add the onions and celery. Sauté for 5-8 minutes to soften and release the moisture.
• Next add the spinach. Sauté another 5-8 minutes until the spinach has completely wilted down. Then add the scallions, parsely, mint, and dill. Sauté another 2-3 minutes.
• Move the cooked greens to a fine mesh strainer. Press the greens down to remove as much moisture as possible. Then use a paper towel to press again until the greens seem dry. *Too much moisture in the filling will make it difficult for the pasty sheets to stay crisp.
• Place the dried greens back in the pan. Add in all cheese, eggs, and seasonings. Mix well.
• Prepare a small bowl of melted ghee. Brush a thin layer of ghee across the bottom of the baking dish. Place a filo sheet out on a clean work surface. Brush the top of the filo sheet with ghee. Then lay another filo sheet across the top. Continue to layer and brush the filo until you have 6 sheets stacked. Move the stack to the baking dish.
• Spread the spinach and cheese filling evenly over the pastry sheets.
• Then prepare a second filo stack for the top crust. However, this time overlap the filo sheets so they are wider than the top of the baking dish. You want to have a wide enough stack to be able to create wrinkles in the top crust. Brush and overlap 6 filo sheets with a 2-inch lip on either side, so the final stack is 4 inches wider than the bottom stack.
• Move the filo stack to the top of the baking dish. Tuck the edges into the corners and sides. Gently press the top down, just a little, to create wrinkles in the top crust. Brush the top with ghee.
• Bake the spinach pie for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. If the crust starts to look brown too early, cover the top loosley with a piece of foil, and continue baking.
• Allow the pie to cool for at least 5 minutes. Then cut into 12 pieces and serve.

SAVORY HERB AND CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400° F
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
• Add the onion and sauté for 8 -10 minutes, without browning.
• Add the chard stems and the celery and continue cooking for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the chard leaves, stirring as they cook for another 4 or 5 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted
• Add the scallion/green onion, arugula, and herbs. Cook for an additional 2 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and transfer the mix to a colander to cool.
• Once the mixture is cool, squeeze out as much water as you can and transfer to a mixing bowl. (I've found a Go to Amazon - Nut Bag works the best when it comes to squeezing out excess water)
• Add the three kinds of cheese, lemon zest, eggs, salt, pepper. Mix well
• Lay out a sheet of phyllo pastry and brush it with some olive oil. Cover with another sheet and continue in the same manner until you have 5 layers of filo brushed with oil, all covering an area large enough to line the sides and bottom of an 8 ½" pie dish, plus extra to hang over the rim. Line the pie dish with the pastry, fill with the herb mix and fold the excess pastry over the edge of the filling, trimming the pastry as necessary to create a ¾" border.
• Make another set of 5 layers of phyllo brushed with oil and place them over the pie. Scrunch the pastry a little to create a wavy, uneven top and trim the edges so it just covers the pie.
• Brush generously with olive oil
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes
• Uncover the dish and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the filo has turned golden brown. (In the original recipe the dish is baked uncovered for 40 minutes. I found it browns more than I'd prefer, therefore the step of covering it for part of the baking time)
• Remove from the oven and serve warm, or at room temperature.

HERB AND CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cut off stalks from fennel bulb. Chop enough fronds to measure 1/4 cup and discard stalks. Cut bulb (including core) into 1/4-inch dice.
• Cook fennel bulb, scallions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook until any liquid is evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in cheeses, eggs, semolina, fennel fronds, dill, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined.
• Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter and brush springform pan with some of butter, then sprinkle bottom with 1 tablespoon bread crumbs. Unroll phyllo and cover stack with plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel. Working quickly, brush 1 phyllo sheet with some butter (keep remaining sheets covered) and gently fit it into springform pan, allowing ends to hang over. Rotate pan slightly, then butter another phyllo sheet and place on top (sheets should not align). Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon bread crumbs. Butter and fit 4 more phyllo sheets into pan, rotating pan for each sheet (overhang should cover entire rim).
• Spread cheese mixture in phyllo shell.
• Butter another phyllo sheet, then fold in half crosswise and butter again. Fold again (to quarter) and brush with butter, then lay over center of filling. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheet, laying it over folded sheet in opposite direction. Fold overhang toward center to enclose filling and folded phyllo, then brush top with butter.
• Bake until puffed and deep golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Once pie is golden brown, loosely cover pan with a sheet of foil to prevent overbrowning. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Remove side of pan and continue to cool pie on rack.
• Cut into wedges (leave bottom of pan under pie). Serve warm or at room temperature.
• *Available at D. Coluccio & Sons (718-436-6700).