Longevity Greens Pie

Servings: 6-8

• Prep Time: 1hr
• Cook Time: 50mins
• Total Time: 1hr 50mins

Ingredients

• 1) 2 pounds of pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely grated
• 2) Coarse sea salt
• 3) 1 pound (500g) spinach, coarsely chopped, washed, and well drained ( or use two 100 ounce frozen chopped spinach boxes)
• 4) 1.25 cups of extra virgin olive oil
• 5) 1 leek, tough greens trimmed and discarded, whites and pale green parts rinsed well and chopped
• 6) 2 large red onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
• 7) 1 pound (500g) Swiss chard, preferably green-stemmed, coarsely chopped, washed, and well drained
• 8) 1 bunch sweet sorrel, washed and coarsely chopped
• 9) 1 small bunch chervil or burr chervil chopped (about 1.5 cups)
• 10) 1.5 cups snipped fresh dill
• 11) 3 small bunches wild fennel, leaves only, chopped (about 2.5 cups) or 1 bulb of regular fennel and fronds
• 12) 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 13) 1 small bunch fresh oregano, chopped
• 14) 1 small bunch mint, leaves only, chopped
• 15) Freshly ground black pepper
• 16) Basic homemade phyllo dough at room temperature
• 17) Flour or cornstarch, for rolling out the phyllo dough
• 18) 1 lemon

Steps

• 1) Place the coarsely grated pumpkin (or squash) in a colander. Salt lightly and toss. Place a plate on the pumpkin and weights, such as cans, on the plate, and leave to drain for about 1 to 3 hours.
• 2) Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 160 degrees Celsius/350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  Lightly oil a 15 inch/39.5cm round baking or paella pan or a shallow, rectangular roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet (16x12 inches/40x30cm).
• 3) Squeeze the pumpkin with your hands to get rid of as much liquid as possible.
• 4) In a large skillet or wide pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add pumpkin and cook until it wilts and most of the liquid has evaporated,
  anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the water content of the pumpkin. Transfer to a large bowl.
• 5) Wipe the same pan clean (or use a separate pan) and heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek and onions and cook until wilted. Transfer to the bowl with the pumpkin.
• 6) In the same pan, heat another tablespoon or two of olive oil and wilt the spinach and chard. Add to the bowl.
• 7) Add the sorrel and all the other chopped fresh herbs to the bowl. Season to taste with a generous amount of salt and a little pepper.
• 8) Set aside 1/2 cup of the olive oil for brushing the layers of phyllo and pour the remaining oil into the filling. Stir to blend.
• 9) Divide the phyllo dough into 4 equal-sized balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first dough ball, using the shape of your pan as a guide.
  For round pans, roll out to a round about 18 inches in diameter; for rectangular pans, roll out to a rectangle about 3 inches larger than the perimeter of the pan.
  Place the dough inside, leaving about 2 inches/5cm hanging over the edge. Brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  Repeat with the second piece of sough. Brush that too with olive oil.
• 10) Spread the filling evenly inside the pan, over the second layer of phyllo.
• 11) Repeat the process for the third sheet, placing it over the filling and pressing down gently. Brush generously with olive oil.
• 12) Finally, roll out the last piece of dough to a slightly smaller piece and place it over the surface of the pie.
  Join and fold in the bottom and top overhanging dough, rolling it decoratively around the perimeter of the pan to form a pretty rim. Brush the top of the pie generously with olive oil.
  Score the top of the pie into serving pieces, taking care to not draw the knife all the way through to the bottom of the pan.
• 13) Bake until the pasty is golden and crisp and the pie pulls away from the edges of the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove, cool in the pan, and serve.

Notes

• 1) Chervil and sweet sorrell can be skipped.
• 2) Variations on a greens pie depend on the seasonal availability of greens and the personal taste of the cook.
  Pumpkin and greens such as the ones in this recipe, with the exception of the wild fennel, which is wild only in the spring but cultivated in the fall too are typical of cold-weather pies.
  Other greens you could include are:
• • Sweet dandelion
• • All sorts of sorrels and docks
• • Mediterranean hartwort
• • Fresh marjoram
• • Grated carrot
• • Mallow leaves
• • Stinging nettles (they need to be cut and handled with gloves and blanched before use in the filling)
• • A little bit of lavender
• • A few fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• • Scallions and all manner of onions may be used too