Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Epirius Sprinkle Pie - Leek Spinach Cheese in a Cornmeal Crust

* Exported from MasterCook *

Epirius Sprinkle Pie - Leek Spinach Cheese in a Cornmeal Crust

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Gluten-Free LowerCarbs

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pounds leeks -- about 5, roots and tough outer leaves removed
coarse sea salt
1 3/4 pounds spinach
1 small handful at least 2 greens -- arugula, Swiss chard, dandelion greens, lamb's quarters lettuce, sorrel or some wild greens
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons snipped dill -- (optional)
3/4 pound mixed white cheeses -- see note below
salt -- to taste
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil -- or melted butter
1/3 cup fine stone-ground yellow cornmeal -- (available in specialty food markets and health-food stores)

Trim all but 3 to 4 inches of green leave of the leeks, quarter each leek length-wise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.
Dump into a large sieve, wash thoroughly, and let drain.
Soften the leeks by sprinkling with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, tossing, and rubbing well through your fingertips. Leave for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, wash the spinach and other greens thoroughly; drain well and cut away any thick spinach stems. Shred leaves and fine stems, toss with 1 teaspoon salt, and leave for at least 45 minutes.

Rinse the leeks and greens under running water and, working in small batches, wrap separately in cheesecloth and squeeze to extract as much moisture as possible, reserving about 1/2 cup of the liquid.
In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the oil; add the leeks and cook, partially covered, over medium heat 2 minutes, or until the oil has been absorbed, and transfer to a large plate.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet; add the greens and cook about 2 minutes, stirring, or until the oil has been absorbed, and transfer to the plate to cool. (Can be prepared up to 1 day in advance to this point, covered, and refrigerated.)

Preheat the oven to 400F and set oven rack in the center.

In a large bowl, combine the leeks, greens, optional dill, and cheeses; add salt and pepper to taste and mix well with your hands. Grease with oil or butter the inside surfaces of a 9-by-1-inch round, non-stick metal or lined copper pie pan; add 1/4 cup of the cornmeal, and rotate pan to coat surfaces evenly. Using fingertips, sprinkle 3 or 4 times with the reheated, reserved vegetable liquid until the cornmeal is barely damp.
Gently add all the leek-cheese mixture, smooth the surface with moist palms, and sprinkle remaining cornmeal over the top. Lightly press the cornmeal into the mixture, sprinkle 2 or 3 times with hot water, and bake 1 hour, or until a reddish-brown crust forms on the surface.
Remove the pie from the oven, sprinkle with a few drops of tap water, and cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before cutting and serving with a small spatula.

Make 6 servings, at a starter

Notes to Cook: In Metsovo, only fresh sheep's milk feta is used. A good mixture to use in the United States could include unsalted grated fresh Mozzarella; Bulgarian feta-style sheep's milk cheese, rinsed in water; Greek manouri; well-drained farmer cheese; ricotta salata; Monterey Jack; grated Asiago, pecorino, or Parmesan.

To increase quantity to serve 12 people, triple the leeks; double the cheese; and use only a little additional dill, salt, and pepper. Bake in a 12 or 14-inch deep-dish pie pan 1 hour.

Although you need only a handful of cornmeal, it is important that it be fresh, flavorful, and stone ground (obtainable at health-food stores or by mail order). Store cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer.

Variation: A "sprinkle pie" with leeks - Omit the greens and double the amount of leeks.

AuthorNote: In the Epiriote town of Metsovo, the "Switzerland" of Greece, I was a guest of the Averoff family, who have turned their picturesque mountain village into a center of cheese, wine, and handicraft production. With its cobblestone streets, stunning Balkan architecture, glorious flowers, and citizens in traditional dress, Metsovo is a world-class example of how to preserve old customs while preparing to thrive economically in the twenty-first century.

Elena Averoff, a handsome, aristocratic woman in her late thirties, is very proud of the produce of Metsovo, particularly cheeses.

"People live a long time here," she said, offering me delicious thick yogurt from a wooden tub she keeps in her refrigerator. "We eat little meat and practically no sweets, and our old people understand the pharmaceutical uses of herbs. We drink cornmeal water and often substitute cornmeal for phyllo in pittas [Greek savory pies]. In spring and summer we collect greens to dry, which we use in our pittas during winter."

Elena took me to a woman who prepared a homey and delicious cornmeal pitta, nicknamed "sprinkle pie" by some northern Greek cooks. She used eight different greens, but mainly leeks and spinach along with a little Swiss chard and some wild mountain greens that she had salted, squeezed dry, and stewed in oil to develop their flavors. The greens were wrapped in a paper-thin gritty crust made of stone-ground cornmeal containing bits of bran. The cornmeal was simply sprinkled onto a greased baking pan; then a little hot water or heated vegetable water was sprinkled on top to soften it. The flavor and texture were utterly delectable.

Serve this rustic pie in squares, with an accompanying glass of buttermilk or a light red wine.

Cuisine:
"Greek"
Source:
"Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert, 1994"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"Sept 2011"
Yield:
"1 nine-inch pie"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 310 Calories; 20g Fat (56.8% calories from fat); 13g Protein; 22g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 51mg Cholesterol; 754mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 3 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 900048 0 20058 3272 0 0 0 438