Kolokithopita
zucchini pie
By: Eleni Saltas
KOLOKITHOPITA (ko-lo-kee-THO-pee-tah) is similar to the popular spanakopita (spinach pie) and basically just substitutes zucchini for spinach. My own recipe calls for the addition of more herbs and a sassy combination of cheese to make it stand out. Just combine zucchini, onions and three different herbs for this aromatic and savory pie. What a fantastic method of using in-season vegetables and herbs! Adding feta and Parmesan puts the icing on the cake—or should I say, the filling in the kolokithopita pie.
Prep Time:
10min
Total Time:
70-80min
Servings:
4-6
Good For:
Side Dish
Ingredients
- 4-5 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 pounds)
- 6 green onions, finely chopped
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
- 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 eggs, beaten
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 package of phyllo dough (I use store bought)
- 1⁄2 cup olive oil, for oiling the pan and phyllo sheets
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Wash and grate the zucchini (skins on, stem discarded). Sprinkle with salt, transfer to a cloth, and squeeze out the liquid by hand. Remove as much moisture as possible or you’ll have the dreaded soggy bottom pie.
Step 2
Combine the zucchini, onions, and herbs in a large bowl and mix together. Crumble the feta in the bowl, and add the Parmesan cheese and the eggs. Season lightly with salt and pepper and mix.
Step 3
Brush a 9” x 13” baking pan lightly with olive oil. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on the bottom, leaving a slight overhang on the sides of the pan. Drizzle (very lightly) with olive oil and repeat this phyllo and oil layering until you have used 8-10 sheets of phyllo dough. Add the zucchini mixture to the pan and spread evenly. Bring the sheets that were hanging outside of the pan over the filling. Lay 5 sheets of phyllo dough on top, and oil lightly between layers, repeating the process as done with the bottom layer. Stuff any edges into the sides of the pans. Brush the top of the pie with olive oil.
Step 4
Before baking, cut the pie into squares. This makes cutting the pie less messy when it gets out of the oven. Top the layer with a dash of Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds.
Step 5
Bake for approximately one hour, until the top is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Zucchini pie is one of those dishes that tastes the best in summer when zucchini are in season, but it can also be made year round. Whenever it is made, it is a real treat!
Oh totally agree. I definitely make this the most in the summer, but is still as satisfying in the colder months!
can you freez the Zucchini pie?
Oh yes, for sure! I do this with my spinach pie a lot too. Freeze and then reheat in the oven when I want It 🙂
A lovely recipe. When I make kolokithopita, I’ll add some bulgur to the filling to absorb some of the water. about 1/2 cup per 3 zucchinis. Cheers
Thank you, that’s a great tip to add bulgur! Nothing worse than a soggy pie. I squeeze as much water out as possible before too.