Yup. It's that time of year again. It's ... ZUCCHINI TIME!! YAY!
Every year I panic and plant At LEAST 3 courgette plants (zucchini.. whatevs - seriously. Guys.. they are the SAME THING..keep up)
Each plant then ends up with at least one courgette that is ready to pick every day throughout July & August , which means I end up with a gazillion of them. (Ok- not a gazillion, but at least 3 a day, which is loads, and seems like a gazillion when they start to pile up in the fridge)
Even if you don't have your own plants with a never ending supply of squash, you probably have friends or neighbours who do. Or you've gone to the market and found that they're practically being given away. (A kilo for £1.00? Why not?! )
I secretly love this time of year. (Shhhhh... Don't tell The Gardener)
This means that we get to eat endless pasta with courgette & tomato sauce and I get to bring out my fave courgette fritter recipe again and again and again. It also means I like to get a bit creative and try something new. In fact I'll probably try several somethings, but this time, the something is PIE.
Lovely, Greek Inspired Courgette Pie- which in Greece is called Kolokithopita. (Pita = Pie in Greek!) Its quite simple to make and not only contains courgettes but lots of herbs, leeks to add a little sweetness and filo pastry for crunch.
In this pie I also added a bit of vegan 'Greek style' cheese. I bought a block at the supermarket and I can't say I was massively impressed by it, however it did work well cooked up in the pie, adding a level of saltiness that's quite pleasing. By all means leave it out or sub in some chopped up green olives if you want some saltiness. The great thing about a pie like this is you can mix up the filling quite easily!
This pie is brilliant hot, or served at room temperature for a picnic. Its just as tasty the next day- or even the day after and re-heats to crisp up the pastry easily. Serve as part of a mezze feast, with a salad for a light lunch, or even sneak a slice for breakfast (I did!)
Greek Courgette Filo Pie
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Courgettes
- 1 Medium Leek (Finely chopped)
- 1 Handful Dill & Parsley (Finely chopped)
- 50 grams Vegan Cheese 'Greek Feta style' (optional) (grated)
- 1 pack Filo Pastry
- 4-5 Tbs Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Nigella (Kalongi) Seeds OR Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Grate the courgette and sprinkle a little salt over. Leave in a bowl for around ½ an hour to let the salt draw moisture out
- Now get a clean teatowel & put the grated courgette in it. Squeeze the courgette to wring out as much moisture as you can
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4
- Mix the courgette, leeks, herbs and vegan cheese together
- Grease a baking dish with olive oil and layer in 4 pieces of filo pastry, slicking a little olive oil between each layer
- Add the courgette filling & spread it out to cover the pastry evenly
- Add another 3-4 layers of pastry, again slicking a little oil between each piece
- Finish off the pie with a little more oil and the seeds
- Bake in the oven for around 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden brown
