Greek Pumpkin Pie Food

GREEK PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Grease a rimmed baking sheet.
• Heat pumpkin puree in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and puree is thick. Stir in sugar, raisins, semolina, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
• Lay one puff pastry sheet into the prepared baking sheet. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the pastry and cover with the remaining pastry sheet. Brush the top of the puff pastry with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

MEDITERRANEAN SAVORY PUMPKIN PIE

Steps:

• In a large pot, over medium heat add 3 tablespoons olive oil and sauté onion for 2-3 minutes, garlic for another 2 minutes. Adjust heat not to burn them.
• Toss in the pumpkin, thyme, mint, pepper and sauté for another 5 minutes. Pour in hot water to cover the pumpkin and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the pumpkin softens.
• Add gradually breadcrumbs, toss and adjust according to the amount of liquid. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Add the whisked eggs and the hard cheese. Toss until well incorporated.
• Preheat the oven at 350°F / 180°C.
• Grease the bottom and sides of the pan* with olive oil and pour in the pumpkin-cheese mix. Spread evenly. Add feta cheese crumbles on top and season with freshly ground pepper and some more fresh thyme, if desired.
• Bake for 45 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

GREEK PUMPKIN AND LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the pumpkin pieces on the baking sheet, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on top and cover tightly with foil. Place in the oven, and roast for 1 1/2 hours or until thoroughly tender. Remove from the heat, transfer to a strainer or a colander set over a bowl or in the sink, and allow to cool and drain. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.
• Peel the cooled pumpkin, and place in a large bowl or in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Purée coarsely or mash with a fork. Stir in the herbs, nutmeg and feta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan. Add the leeks. Cook, stirring, until tender and just beginning to color, five to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the heat, and add to the pumpkin. Beat the eggs, and stir into the pumpkin mixture.
• Brush a 10- or 12-inch tart pan or cake pan with olive oil and layer in seven sheets of phyllo dough. Place them not quite evenly atop one another, so that the edges overlap the sides of the pan all the way around. Brush each sheet with olive oil (or a mixture of olive oil and melted butter) before adding the next sheet. Fill with the pumpkin mixture, and fold the edges over. Brush the folded-over phyllo with olive oil, then layer five more sheets of dough over the top, brushing each with olive oil (or a combination of melted butter and olive oil). Crimp the edges into the sides of the pan. Pierce the top of the pie in several places with a sharp knife. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Recrisp the crust if necessary in a low oven for 10 to 20 minutes.

CRISPY GREEK-STYLE PIE

Steps:

• Put the spinach into a large pan. Pour over a couple tbsp water, then cook until just wilted. Tip into a sieve, leave to cool a little, then squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Roughly chop the tomatoes and put into a bowl along with the spinach, feta and eggs. Mix well.
• Carefully unroll the filo pastry. Cover with some damp sheets of kitchen paper to stop it drying out. Take a sheet of pastry and brush liberally with some of the sundried tomato oil. Drape oil-side down in a 22cm loosebottomed cake tin so that some of the pastry hangs over the side. Brush oil on another piece of pastry and place in the tin, just a little further round. Keep placing the pastry pieces in the tin until you have roughly three layers, then spoon over the filling. Pull the sides into the middle, scrunch up and make sure the filling is covered. Brush with a little more oil.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cook the pie for 30 mins until the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Remove from the cake tin, slice into wedges and serve with salad.