Taste that delights … is an emblematic creation of the Cretan cuisine of welfare and longevity. Made with all the spring greens and I’m sure you will adopt these small pies in your kitchen as I did …
Writes Sissy Nika – Journalist of Taste and Culture
You can add your favorite greens to the stuffing but even the wild ones blend amazingly … if you like you can put some grated feta cheese, so you will have another version like cheese-herb pies.
My beloved friend, Vasilis Stathakis, who has “initiated” me into this taste … is the owner of the historic “Kipos” café in Chania, a place for the meeting of the politicians of Crete. It is the only recognized Greek Historic café and is distinguished among the list of historical cafes in Europe.
Kalitsunia with herbs of Spring
From Vasilis Stathakis, of the historic “Kipos” café in Chania
Ingredients
For the dough
1 teaspoon of salt
1 shot of olive oil
1 glass of lukewarm water bottled
Flour for all uses, as “much as is needed” for a soft dough, sieved
For the stuffing
1 kg spinach finely chopped
1 bunch of fennel pinched only the toppings
1 bunch of parsley finely chopped
Several Chervil, poppies, wild parsley or other spring aromatic greens
7 – 8 Dried onions finely chopped or grated
3 fresh eggs
Fine Olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
To brush the pan
Olive oil
For finishing
2 egg yolks
Method of preparation
Prepare the dough for the filo by stirring all the ingredients together and kneading vigorously by hand.
The dough should be “rested” for 1 hour so that it can be opened more easily with the roller.
We divide the dough into three parts.
Using a tea saucer as a guide, cut with a wheel or a knife round pieces of each sheet.
Prepare the filling by mixing in a large bowl the herbs all together that we have carefully washed before chopping them.
Beat the eggs in another bowl and pour them into the bowl of herbs.
Mix all the ingredients of the filling with a wooden spoon or with our hand.
At the center of each piece of sheet (filo) we put a teaspoon of filling and fold over its edges towards the center to form a square kalitsouni whose final shape looks like an envelope.
Put the pies in a baking dish that has been “brushed” with olive oil.
With a brush, we ‘pass’ the kalitsounia with the egg yolk that we have prepared.
Put the baking pan in a well preheated oven at 200 ° C for 20 minutes until they get a golden-brown color.
Eat hot or cold, however you prefer to find them to be even more delicious!!
