Real African Dishes: [MC-AllEthnic-Recipes] Epirus Mixed Greens Pie with a Cornmeal Crust - Blatsaria ;24g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber

* Exported from MasterCook *

Epirus Mixed Greens Pie with a Cornmeal Crust - Blatsaria

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 14 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : LowerCarbs

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pounds mixed greens -- (spinach, chard, sorrel)
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley -- coarsely chopped
1 bunch fresh dill -- snipped
1 bunch fresh mint -- finely chopped
8 scallions -- to 10, or spring onions, white and tender green parts, finely chopped
salt -- to taste
2 medium onions -- finely chopped
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Greek feta cheese -- crumbled, about 3 cups
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups fine cornmeal -- white or yellow
1 cup water -- to 1 1/2 cups, as needed
To serve: -- thick Mediterranean-style yogurt, preferably made from sheep's milk, or plain yogurt, drained, or buttermilk

Combine the greens, herbs, and scallions or spring onions in a large colander and sprinkle with salt. Rub and knead the mixture, pressing it between your palm and the holes of the colander, until the greens and other vegetables exude their liquid. This will take 15 minutes. Squeeze the excess water out of the vegetables between your palms and place in a large bowl or basin. Mix in the onions.

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Drizzle 1 cup of the olive oil into the vegetable mixture and knead vigorously until the greens wilt, about 10 minutes or so. Add the feta and mix all together.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, scald the milk. Add the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, stirring all the while so that it doesn't lump. Season with a little salt. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a heavy, almost solid batter. Remove from the heat.

Oil an 18-inch round baking pan or pizza pan that is 2 inches deep with olive oil. Pour half of the milk-and-cornmeal mixture over the bottom of the pan, spreading it evenly. Spread the vegetable filling evenly over the batter and level the surface with a spatula. Dilute half the remaining half of the batter with as much of the water as needed to obtain a thick but pourable batter. Pour this over the top, spreading it as evenly as possible. Don't worry if the batter doesn't cover the entire surface of the greens. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil over the surface. Place on the center rack in the oven and bake until the pie is dense and golden and the cornmeal crust set, about 1 hour.

To serve, let the pie cool for 20 to 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve topped with a little yogurt or with buttermilk on the side.

NOTE: The recipe may be halved. Bake the pie in a 10-inch round baking pan.

AuthorNote: The names of dishes can be confusing business in greek villages. Blatsaria and pies similar to it are sometimes called pispilita after the Greek word for "sprinkle" or aradopita, after the word for "line" or "row" - arada. This is a rustic pie and the Sarakatsan and other denizens of the mountainous Zagorohoria like to eat this with a glass of buttermilk.

Cuisine:
"Greek"
Source:
"The Glorious Foods of Greece by Diane Kochilas, 2001"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi):
"Sept 2011"
Yield:
"1 18-inch pie"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 417 Calories; 32g Fat (67.9% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 35mg Cholesterol; 405mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3272 0 435 0 0