serves 8
The tangle of zucchini that overflows in Greek summer gardens means that all over the country, the number of regional recipes incorporating it is mind-boggling. Savory pies filled with zucchini are just one category of dishes that call for this summer creeper! There are literally dozens of savory pies filled with zucchini, all slightly varied from place to place and cook to cook. This pie, with Greek yogurt, hails from the north.
4 pounds (1.8 kg) zucchini
Salt
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil, plus more as needed
1 cup (240 ml) Greek yogurt
1 cup (100 g) grated Kefalotyri or other hard, sharp, yellow sheep’s-milk cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (125 ml) rice, trahana (see here), bulgur, quinoa, or fine semolina
½ cup (25 g) chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe Homemade Whole Wheat Phyllo, or 1 (1-pound / 450 g) box #4 commercial phyllo
Trim off the stem and root ends of the zucchini. Wash and pat dry. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor with the grating attachment. Line a colander with cheesecloth. Place the zucchini in the lined colander, toss with 2 teaspoons salt, place a plate and a weight on top, and leave the grated zucchini to drain in the sink for 2 hours.
Pull up the ends of the cheesecloth, then squeeze and wring the zucchini to get out all the excess moisture. Transfer the drained zucchini into a clean bowl. Add the olive oil, yogurt, cheeses, eggs, rice, mint, and pepper to taste to the zucchini and mix well with a fork. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, as needed.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
If using homemade phyllo, divide the dough into 3 balls, one slightly heavier than the others. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Brush a 12-inch (30 cm) round baking pan with olive oil.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the largest of the 3 dough balls to a 15-inch (37.5 cm) circle. Place in the oiled pan and brush the surface of the dough with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Spread the filling evenly over the dough. Pull the excess dough from around the rim over the edge of the filling, toward to center. Roll out the next dough ball to a 12-inch (30 cm) circle and place on top of the filling. Brush with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Repeat with last dough ball and brush again. Score the pie into serving pieces and bake for about 1 hour. Remove, let cool slightly, and serve, either warm or at room temperature.
If using chilled homemade or frozen commercial phyllo. For chilled, leave it out of the refrigerator for 2 hours to come to room temperature; for frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then leave out at room temperature for 2 hours before using.
Brush a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan with olive oil and place 8 sheets of phyllo on the bottom, brushing each with olive oil as you layer them. Spread the filling over the top phyllo evenly and cover with an additional 6 sheets, brushing each of them with olive oil. Press down gently. If there is overhang, pinch the excess edges together and roll in to form a rim. Score into rectangular serving pieces and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden.
