Silverbeet Swiss Chard Pie Aka Grass Pie Recipes

SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan or a ceramic dish. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir in the cheese. Stir in the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line the pie dish with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. Brush the top with the butter or oil, and make a few slashes so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.
• ADVANCE PREPERATION:
• The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator in a covered bowl for 3 or 4 days. The dish can be prepared through Step 2 up to a day ahead. Keep the cooked greens in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. You can assemble the pie several hours before baking and keep it in the refrigerator, or freezer. Transfer directly from the freezer to the preheated oven, and increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. The finished tart keeps for a few days, but you must re-crisp the phyllo in a low oven (300º to 325ºF) for 10 to 20 minutes.

SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, extra-virgin olive oil, cold water, and coarse salt. Stir with a fork to combine, then turn out onto a work surface and knead 1 minute. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add chard stems and red-pepper flakes; cook until stems begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Pack chard leaves into pot; season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until chard leaves wilt, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chard is soft, about 4 minutes. Drain, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Place chard mixture in a large bowl and toss with Parmesan, flour, lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roll two-thirds the dough to a 12 1/2-inch round; fit into an 8-inch round cake pan (2 inches deep). Fill bottom crust with chard mixture. Roll remaining dough to a 9 1/2-inch round; place over filling. Pinch edges of dough together and tuck in to seal; cut several vents into center of pie. Combine yolk with 1 teaspoon water and brush over dough, avoiding edge of pan. Freeze pie.
• To serve, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Bake frozen pie until crust is deep golden brown, about 1 1/2 hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SILVERBEET (SWISS CHARD ) PIE AKA " GRASS PIE"

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F ( 200°C ) 15 to 20 degrees less if using a fan-forced oven.
• Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frypan and add the garlic and chopped leek. Cook on a gentle to medium heat until the leek has softened. Set aside to cool.
• Remove the course stems from the silverbeet and just use the green leaves. Chop them roughly and add the whole bunch to a large saucepan. Add 1 cup of water. Cook over a medium heat with the lid on until the spinach has steamed and wilted down. Do not overcook the spinach- it should only take a few minutes to this point.
• When the silverbeet has wilted - strain it as much as possible and place on a clean tea-towel. Wrap the silverbeet in a clean tea-towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Chop the silverbeet finer if desired and add it to a large mixing bowl.
• Add the cooked leek mixture, eggs, cheeses, salt and pepper to the silverbeet. Mix and pour into the pie shell.
• Decorate with the sliced tomato and sprinkle over some more cracked black pepper and salt.
• Bake in the oven approx 40 minutes or until set through. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve with a salad or more veggies on the side.

SILVERBEET ( SWISS CHARD) AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Saute the onion and garlic for 5 mins or until soft.
• Add the mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes
• Add the silverbeet, nutmeg and season. Cover the saucepan and cook until the silverbeet wilts.
• Remove from the heat, stir the silverbeet through the mushrooms and drain any excess moisture.
• Transfer the silverbeet mixture into a large 6 cup capacity baking dish.
• Whisk the eggs and cream together, season and stir through the grated cheese, then pour the egg mixture over the silverbeet mixture, swirl the egg mixture through the silverbeet using a fork.
• Bake the pie for 40 mins or until golden and set. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

SILVERBEET (SWISS CHARD) - OR SPINACH - AND RICOTTA TORTE

Steps:

• Wash the silverbeet thoroughly and trim the stalks, or wash thoroughly the spinach or baby spinach leaves. Baby spinach leaves are so tender that I always leaves the stalks intact.
• Bring water to the boil in a medium size saucepan, add a pinch of salt to taste and cook the silverbeet - or spinach - until the leaves have just wilted.
• Drain the silverbeet - or spinach - in a colander, squeeze out as much moisture as possible, pat dry with kitchen paper, and then squeeze again.
• When you are satisfied that the silverbeet - or spinach - is free of moisture, chop it finely and put aside.
• Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, until soft but not brown. Put aside to cool.
• Mash the ricotta with a fork and whisk well.
• Add the cooled onion and garlic and chopped silverbeet - or spinach.
• Add the finely chopped tarragon.
• Add the lightly beaten eggs.
• Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Add the Parmesan and gently fold in all the ingredients.
• Lightly grease a 9" springform pan with the remaining olive oil.
• Transfer the mixture to the pan, and bake in a moderate oven for 50 minutes, or until cooked. The torte will cook like a cake, rising and pulling away from the edges of the pan once it is cooked.
• Remove the torte from the oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Release the torte from the springform pan and cut into wedges to serve.
• Variations: Use a mixture of greens: spinach, silverbeet and endive. Use a mixture of ricotta and feta.
• Chef's Note: Cooking time includes cooling time.

GREEK SWISS CHARD PIE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. Wash them in 2 changes of water, lifting them from the water so that the dirt stays behind. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan (I like to use a ceramic dish for this). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. If you are not using phyllo dough for this, remove 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs, for brushing the crust, and crumble or blend in the feta. Toss with the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Line the pie dish with two-thirds of the dough, or with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. For pie dough, roll out the other piece of the dough and place over the filling. Crimp the bottom and top edges together, then pinch an attractive fluted edge all the way around the rim of the pie. Brush the top with the beaten egg you set aside, and make a few slashes in the top crust so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

SILVERBEET ( SWISS CHARD) SALAD

Steps:

• Slice the silverbeet and mix with the onion and tomato.
• Make dressing by putting all ingredients into a container and shake well.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly.
• Optional: You can also add some finely sliced celery and some radishes if you like, Or add some cooked crisp bacon pieces.

SWISS CHARD SLAB PIE

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a food processor, pulse flour with salt and pepper. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal, with some large pieces of butter remaining. Sprinkle ice water on top and pulse just until dough comes together. Scrape onto a work surface, divide in half, and pat each half into a 6-inch square. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.
• Make the filling: In a pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add coriander, ginger and red pepper flakes. Add chard stems and cook until just softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in chard leaves in large handfuls, letting them wilt before adding more. Add wine, reduce heat to medium, and cook until leaves are tender and liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander to cool completely and drain. When cool, mix chard with sour cream and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one piece of dough to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Slide dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll out remaining dough and ease it over the filling. Fold the rim over itself and pinch edges to seal. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie and brush with egg wash.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until crust is golden and cooked through. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.