Vegetarian pie suitable for fasting with a filling of wild spinach, onion, vermicelli and bulgur wheat.
Name - Recipe
Σπανακόπιτα στριφτή.
For the dough:
1 kg of village flour
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
For the filling:
1 kg wild spinach (or other wild greens)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup of vermicelli
1 1/4 cups bulgur wheat
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup raisins (optional)
8-12 tbsp olive oil to brush the pie)
Preparation of the filling: Clean and wash the spinach and drain. In a saucepan, add the oil and the onion and then add the vermicelli to sauté. Then add the bulgur and stir. Remove the pot from the heat. Then add the chopped spinach and salt. Finally add the cinnamon and pepper (and raisins optional) and mix well.
Prepare the dough: In a basin, add the flour, salt and oil and rub with your fingertips. Add the water a little at a time and knead to form a not too firm dough.
Execution: Divide the dough into two pieces. Roll out into two thin and round sheets. Brush each sheet with olive oil and put half of the filling on it. Roll the sheet and place it in a round baking tin. Do the same with the other half of the pastry and continuing it in the pan from the end of the previous sheet to form a swirl. Brush the top with oil and place it in the oven. (Katzi 2000)
Sautéing.
Baking in the oven.
Functional and symbolic role
The housewives used to prepare twisted spanakopitta when they or a neighbour would light a wood-fired oven (Katzi 2000).
Spanakopitta, like other pies with greens, were prepared during the fasting period (Kypri and Protopapa 2003).
Additional information and bibliography
Katzi, M. (2000). "The food that nature provided as with”, Λαογραφική Κύπρος, 30(50), 104-110.
Kypri, Th. D. and Protopapa, K. A. (2003). Traditional bread and pastries of Cyprus (Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research XVIII), Centre for Scientific Research, Nicosia.
Varvara Yangou, Demetra Dimitriou