Naxos Swiss Chard Pie - Sefoukloti
Ingredients
- 800-1000 g swiss chard
- 1/2 cup fresh dill finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fennel herbs finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 scallions
- a handful of raisins
- 60 ml water
- 80 g risotto rice
- 1 package phyllo pastry
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prep the Swiss chard: Give it a good wash and separate the white stalks from the leafy greens. Chop them into chunks. Boil the stalks for about 10 minutes to soften them up.
- Sauté the veggies: Heat 3-4 tbsp of olive oil in a big pan and toss in the scallions with a pinch of salt.
- Let them cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the swiss chard leaves.
- Cook for another 5 minutes, then throw in the softened stalks. Turn up the heat at the end to get rid of excess moisture. Mix in cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- Add the rice and a splash of water, letting it cook for a couple of minutes. Then add raisins (if you like them), and let those flavors meld together. Finely, mix in the chopped fresh herbs.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (static)
- Layer the phyllo: In a small bowl, mix 2 1/2 tbsp of olive oil with 4 tbsp of water. Now, grab five sheets of phyllo pastry. Lay two overlapping sheets at the bottom of a baking dish, leaving some dangling on the side of the baking dish. Brush the surface with the olive oil mix. Add another two overlapping sheets in the opposite direction, more oil, then one crumpled up in the middle—this will give the pie a sturdy base.
- Spread the chard filling evenly over the layered phyllo. Top with the remaining sheets in the same way, two overlapping ones, another two in the opposite direction, and this time two in the middle, brushing each with the olive oil mix.
- Tuck in the sides that were dangling and brush with oil. Top with sesame seeds.
- Then make some incisions horizontally and vertically to form squares. This will make it easier to cut later.
- Bake to crispy perfection: Pop into the oven at 180°C/350°F (static) for 45 minutes to an hour until it’s golden and crisp. Move it to the bottom of the oven after 30 minutes to make sure the bottom gets nice and crisp.
- Dig in! Let the pie cool for a few minutes before slicing in. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature.
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