Hortopita

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Hortopita, from the Greek words horta , meaning wild greens (also a general term for greens in Greek), and pita , which means pie , is a traditional savory pastry that’s filled with a variety of wild or cultivated greens. The pastry is typically made with phyllo dough, while apart from the greens, the filling usually contains aromatic herbs, crumbled cheese (such as feta cheese), and sometimes eggs. These pastries can be made with any combination of greens and herbs; therefore, there’s no set recipe for hortopita. The size of the pastries can range from small and hand-held to large and round, depending on where they’ve been prepared: on the islands or the mainland. Some of the most common greens and herbs used for hortopites include spring onions, dandelion, fennel, mint, garlic leaves, various chicory plants, and amaranth.