Ingredients
-
4
-
1
-
2
-
1 1/2
-
2
-
1
-
4
-
1 1/2
-
1
-
1/2
-
2
-
2 1/2
-
1
-
-
Directions
Hortopita, 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 , This pastry is the easiest rolling I’ve ever worked with It rolls paper thin, never gets tough, peels off a marble slab in one piece and doesn’t harden in the fridge I made a tart rather than a coiled rope because I’m lazy We used chopped fennel, limp lettuce, cooked collard greens and chard as a substitute for the spinach, and added 1/2 cup sour cream to the filling because we were low on feta Worked great, and we really enjoyed
Discover ground-breaking new supplements! SHOP & SAVE
Steps
|
1
Done
|
Preheat the Oven to 400 Degrees F. Butter the Bottom and Sides of Two 12-by-18-Inch Baking Sheets. |
|
2
Done
|
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. |
|
3
Done
|
in a Large Saut Pan, Heat 1/2 Cup of the Oil Over Medium Heat. Add the Leeks, Onion, and Scallions, and Saut Until Soft, About 5 Minutes. Add the Spinach, and Saut, Stirring Until Slightly Soft, About 3 Minutes. |
|
4
Done
|
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. |
|
5
Done
|
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. |
|
6
Done
|
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 375f and Bake Until Golden, 35-40 Minutes. Remove from the Oven, and Cool Slightly, Cut, and Serve. |
