HORTOPITA

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image



Hortopita image

My interpreter's mother (who was a commercial baker in Skopje, Macedonia) used a dowel which looked to be about 3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter and about 3 feet long to roll out her pastry. She used this to make the pastry for her Hortopita, which is a Greek/Macedonian baking-powder-leavened bread stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. It is simply fantastic the way she made it - rolling out the dough with her dowel in a long thin strip. Then she would place the spinach/Feta cheese stuffing along the middle of the strip and fold the dough over the stuffing. Then she would roll the stuffed dough into a spiral like a cinnamon roll, bake it and serve. It is no wonder that I am not weighing 500 pounds! Make it several weeks ahead, and freeze, then thaw and reheat it in a moderate oven. Serve it as an hors d'oeuvre or with the meal.

Provided by Witch Doctor

Categories     Cheese

Time 1h40m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil, plus additional
2 leeks, white parts only, well washed, split, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs spinach, well washed, dried, and roughly chopped
1 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup mint, finely chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons dill, chopped
2 1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
salt, to taste

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 12-by-18-inch baking sheets.
  • In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add 1 cup cold water and 2/3 cup olive oil, and process until smooth. Remove the dough from the food processor, knead it into a ball with your hands, and wrap loosely in plastic film. Let it sit for 10 minutes or until ready to use.
  • In a large sauté pan, heat 1/2 cup of the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, and scallions, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, and sauté, stirring until slightly soft, about 3 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a medium bowl, and add the parsley, mint (if using), dill, feta cheese, and salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
  • Divide the dough into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into a very thin rectangle. Brush each piece with the remaining oil, and spread 3/4 to 1 cup of filling along the length and center of each rectangle. Starting at one long side of each rectangle, roll the dough around itself to enclose the filling.
  • Place the rolled dough seam-side down on the baking sheet, bending each piece to form a spiral. Brush with olive oil, and prick the surface here and there with a fork to allow steam to vent. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and bake until golden, 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool slightly, cut, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 501.7, Fat 34.4, SaturatedFat 8.5, Cholesterol 27.8, Sodium 656.2, Carbohydrate 38.8, Fiber 3.1, Sugar 2.6, Protein 10.9

Axado Aadan
[email protected]

This hortopita is so bland. I had to add a lot of salt and pepper to make it taste good.


Clasic Acting
[email protected]

This recipe is way too complicated. I gave up halfway through.


Joleen Kennedy
[email protected]

I'm not sure what I did wrong, but my hortopita didn't turn out as good as I expected. It was still edible, but it wasn't as flavorful as I thought it would be.


Md shanto Hossin
[email protected]

This hortopita is a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.


Hawanatu Sesay
[email protected]

I've never had hortopita before, but I'm so glad I tried this recipe. It's absolutely delicious!


Savor Mhia
[email protected]

This hortopita is the perfect comfort food. It's warm, cheesy, and flavorful.


Nabeel Lahori
[email protected]

I made this hortopita for a party, and it was a huge success. Everyone loved it!


Leocatus Peter
[email protected]

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover herbs. It's also a really versatile dish - you can add any type of cheese or vegetables that you like.


Tik Tok Hridoy
[email protected]

I'm not a huge fan of spinach, but this hortopita changed my mind. It's so delicious!


HL Hridoy Khan
[email protected]

Wow! This hortopita is so flavorful and satisfying. I love the combination of herbs and cheese.


Hassan Kamran
[email protected]

This was my first time making hortopita, and it turned out great! The instructions were easy to follow, and the dish was cooked to perfection.


Pangolin Anapaacs
[email protected]

I've made this recipe several times now, and it's always a hit. The herbs give it such a unique and delicious flavor.


Jordan Ernst
[email protected]

This hortopita recipe is a keeper! The flavors are amazing, and the cheese is perfectly melted and gooey. I will definitely be making this again.


Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »

    #time-to-make     #course     #main-ingredient     #cuisine     #preparation     #occasion     #appetizers     #side-dishes     #eggs-dairy     #vegetables     #greek     #european     #finger-food     #vegetarian     #cheese     #dietary     #inexpensive     #taste-mood     #savory     #presentation     #4-hours-or-less