Greek Skillet Pies with Mustard Greens, Feta, and Herbs

This dish is like spanakopita, if it were made by a Greek grandmother. Chopped greens, fragrant herbs, salty feta, and dried Mediterranean Oregano and Aleppo-Style Pepper are enveloped in a thin and tender homemade phyllo dough (yes, you read that right — homemade!), before being brushed with olive oil and cooked on a grill pan to give you a flat little pie that’s crispy and golden on the outside and green, creamy, and flavorful on the inside. 

Greek Skillet Pies with Mustard Greens, Feta, and Herbs

The Mediterranean Oregano and Aleppo Style Chili Flakes add a punch to the greens that is normally missing from a store-bought spanakopita, and once you get the hang of rolling out the phyllo dough, it’s an awesome trick to add to your cooking skills repertoire! It’s really not that difficult, I promise. And even if you end up with slightly lumpy pies, you can call them “rustic” and still enjoy their delicious flavor.

Spices used in this recipe


Salt, Kosher
Oregano, Mediterranean
Aleppo Style Chili Flakes
Salt, California Sea, Grinder
Peppercorns, Tellicherry, Grinder

Ingredients

Preparation

  1. Start a medium-large pot of salted water boiling on the stove while you make the phyllo dough.
  2. Stir together flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add olive oil, vinegar, and water and mix on medium speed with the dough hook attachment until you have a smooth, soft dough, about 5 minutes. If dough is too dry and doesn’t come together, add up to 3 Tbs. more water, 1 Tbs. at a time. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.
  3. Remove stems and ribs from your greens and blanch them for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cool water, tossing until all of the greens are cooled. Squeeze out as much water as you can, then chop finely. Stir the greens, feta, herbs, oregano, chili, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl, using a fork to combine evenly. 
  4. Once the dough is rested, knead it a few times and then cut it into 6 equal pieces. Dust each piece with cornstarch or rice flour and set aside. On an un-floured surface, roll each piece out to a diameter of about 16 inches. It will take a little practice to get the dough smooth and even — you might have to pick up the edges of the dough a few times to keep it from catching on the board — but it’s not that difficult! It’s also good that the dough sticks to the board — it will keep it from snapping back into a thicker, smaller circle.
  5. Once you’ve rolled out a circle to its thinnest possible, dust it lightly with cornstarch or rice flour and cut it in half. I like to use a pizza roller for this. Stack the pieces of dough nearby and continue with the rest of the pieces of dough. 
  6. Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Brush each half-circle of dough with olive oil, and then spread 3 Tbs. of filling over one half, leaving an 1/8-inch border around the edges. Fold the dough in half on top of the filling and firmly press around the edges to seal. Brush each side with olive oil and gently place on the preheated grill pan. 
  7. Cook for 3-4 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary, until dough is fully cooked on one side and golden brown, with nice dark grill marks. Gently flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Continue the process with the rest of the pies.
  8. Serve warm, cutting in half or into smaller pieces if you want!

Serves 6-8 as an appetizer or light main. Adapted from The New York Times.

You might also like

Shrimp,Tomato and Feta Stew

This simple recipe makes the absolute best of all the ingredients involved. Salty feta complements the sweet, plump, ocean brine-y shrimp, all bound together in a flavorful tomato sauce, seasoned with Mediterranean oregano.

Baked Eggs with Kale, Yogurt, and Spiced Butter

Here's a warming, healthy breakfast that feels indulgent, all because of the power of the runny egg yolk.

Four-Pepper Feta and Yogurt Dip

This easy dip uses the power of four different kinds of peppers to build layers of spicy, sweet flavor on top of the salty tang of creamy feta cheese and Greek yogurt.

 

Grilled Chicken Parm with Kale

A lightened up, brightened up version of chicken parm that won't weigh you down, but still gives that same satisfaction of juicy chicken, melty cheese, and savory tomato sauce.

White Bean and Tomato Gratin with Herbes de Provence

This is a hearty and healthy winter dish -- think of it as a Mediterranean version of baked beans, seasoned with Vanns Herbes de Provence, but with a beautifully crispy bread crumb topping. 

Turmeric-Chili Shrimp with Spicy Slaw

A quick shirmp dish that builds flavor through the use of Asian aromatics, earthy turmeric, and spicy chili flakes. Combined with a refreshing slaw, it just needs a side of rice to make a complete meal.

Chickpea Salad With Red Onion, Sumac, & Lemon

Have you ever heard of sumac? If you live in the American South, you may think of it as a weed. But hopefully after making this recipe, you will now think of it as a delicious weed.

Harissa Lamb Burgers with Feta Tzatziki and Sumac Onions

Vanns Harissa adds spice and flavor to this Middle Eastern-inspired burger, perfect for your grill or your stovetop.

Smoky, Spicy Black Bean Soup with Braised Chicken

It’s starting to feel like real springtime weather these days -- cool in the mornings and evenings, warm during the day, weather that sometimes makes it hard to know what to eat. A cool, refreshing, summery salad or a comforting, warming wintery stew?

Turkey Meatloaf With Herbs & Cheeses

“Turkey Meatloaf’ isn’t exactly an inspirational title, I know. It conjures up something bland and dry, something healthy, but without joy.