Vlitopita-Greek Amaranth and Cheese Pie

Greek Amaranth is a fast growing plant that is very popular in Greece in the summertime. The Greeks pick the tender leaves and steam them, serving them with lemon juice and olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. They buy them in large quantities and eat them with almost every meal.

The greens are almost always available at Greek restaurants and I would recommend you try them if you are in Greece. They have a succulent earthy flavor and are very nutritious. Think of them as a kind of spinach.

A great way to use any leftover vlita(you can substitute spinach or any other greens) is to make a pita. Anything that goes between two pieces of dough is called pita in Greece. Hence, spanakopita, spinach pie.

Mix 20 ounces of flour, 1 packet of yeast and 1/2 tspn. sea salt

Add one third of a cup of extra virgin Greek olive oil

and 1/3 cup warm water

add an egg and mix well

Cover and let rise for about an hour

 

When dough doubles it is ready to roll

Divide your dough in two and roll out two pieces to fit an 18x9 deep sided pan

Steam about 2 lbs. of greens. Let them cool and squeeze them so there's no water left. Chop greens

chop about a third cup mint leaves

 

To the greens add 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese, 6 ounces grated parmesan or Greek graviera cheese and, 6 ounces fresh ricotta or Greek anthotiro cheese. Lightly beat two eggs and add to the mix. Also add 1 teaspoon of seasalt, 1/2 tspn. black pepper and grate about half a tspn of fresh nutmeg. Mix well.

Lay down your first rolled piece of dough and top with the greens filling

Top with the second piece of dough

Cut off any excess dough and crimp the edges

Bake for about an hour in a 350 degree preheated oven

Voila!

 

Enjoy!

 

Maria

Greetings from Greece!

All this talk about Greek food is great but what's even better is coming to Greece and tasting the real thing! The French call it "terroire" which means the soil, the air, the water, the DNA where food grows make up the special flavors that are Greek food. Things taste almost the same in another country but not quite.

Salute to the Sunset over the Saronikos gulf.

Greeks relaxing at the sea

Greeks are very generous with and proud of their own products. Cousin Yianni gave us a bag of figs from "Markopoulos,"as well as bags of tomatoes and cucumbers soon after we arrived.The figs were shared with friends who invited us to dinner, were eaten simply peeled with bread and cheese for breakfast and were added to a luscious salad for lunch. I cannot think of a more delicious thing!

Zucchini is ubiquitous in summer. It is not the dark green vegetable that we are used to in the US. It is light-green and softer, with softer seeds and a sweeter flesh. It shows up simply steamed with olive oil and lemon, grated into fritters with feta cheese, grated into pites(pies) similar to spinach pie, fried like potato chips served with tzatiki(yogurt dip), filled with meat or rice in stuffed veggies and on and on.

Eggplant may be one of the most versatile vegetables of summer. Fried, stuffed, baked, smothered in béchamel sauce, meat sauce, need I say more. Here, it's been baked with onion, garlic and tomato in olive oil and dotted with feta cheese. Served alongside is another very popular green called vlita. It is Greek amaranth and the Greeks eat the tender shoots of the plant while the Indians ate the grain. It is simply steamed and served with olive oil and lemon, served with meat or fish.

Consider. this a primer of Greek flavors and products. I'll be posting more as the summer grows long. Pack your bags and follow me! I'll be taking you on a journey!

Enjoy!
Maria